If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best post workout supplement for muscle soreness is, then we’d recommend Performance Lab® SPORT Post as the best one.
There’s nothing like completing an awesome, kick-butt workout, only to be hit with dreaded muscle soreness soon after, the next day, or within the few days following, especially if you are new to working out, trying a new fitness routine, or you haven’t in a while.
When this occurs, it can leave you feeling worse off than when you started, which can deter you from working out the next day or ever again.
Post-workout supplements contain various proven ingredients that work to improve muscle recovery after vigorous training for improved results.
However, some go even further and also include select substances to also prevent muscle soreness post-workout, so you feel good and are able to continue your fitness journey.
But the key is to understand exactly which ingredients help combat after exercise achiness in order to help you select the best post workout supplement for muscle soreness.
Therefore, loving a challenging workout myself, but hating the post-crippling state that often comes with it, I set out to research the specific ingredients that make the best post workout supplement for muscle soreness the best to help make both my and your workouts more endurable, and this is what I found.
Here are the top post workout supplements we’ll be reviewing:
- Post JYM Active Matrix
- XTEND Original BCAA Powder
- BSN CELLMASS 2.0
- VINTAGE BUILD Post Workout
- Performance Lab® SPORT Post
How to Choose the Best Post Workout Supplement for Muscle Soreness
Different post-workout supplements contain different ingredients for addressing various areas of muscle recovery.
However, to specifically address after workout muscle soreness, look for a product that contains at least one or more of the following ingredients:
Casein Protein
Casein protein, which is a by-product of whey, contains all the essential amino acids, which research shows, that when taken before sleep, helps prevent inflammation and other muscle responses caused by exercise that can lead to achy muscles.
It does so by slowly and steadily releasing the acids into the bloodstream throughout the night, which helps gradually heal the muscles, so you wake up less sore.
BCAAs
Branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a combination of valine, leucine, and isoleucine, which are essential amino acids that research shows helps repair the tiny rips that occur in the muscle after exercise, resulting in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS.
BCAAs are broken down during exercise, thus helping decrease the release of creatine kinase (CK), which is an enzyme in the body that increases in response to muscle damage.
Glutamine, Beta-Alaline, and Creatine
Glutamine is an amino acid naturally found in the body, but it gets depleted during exercise, which can cause the muscles to hurt.
However, research shows that replenishing the body with the amino acids post-workout enables the muscles to quickly rebuild and repair themselves, thus helping to prevent muscle soreness.
Meanwhile, beta-alanine has been shown to help control acid buildup in the muscles, which can cause soreness, and creatine has been shown to increase muscle building and recovery.
Carbohydrates
During exercise, glycogen levels also get depleted, which causes the body to use muscle protein for fuel, thus causing the muscles to become weakened, damaged, and achy.
However, research shows consuming a moderate amount of carbohydrates both 2 to 3 hours before your workout and then again within 2 hours after a workout helps increase glycogen stores in the body, so it can be burned for energy as opposed to muscle proteins, which helps prevent muscle soreness.
Fish Oil
Delayed onset muscle soreness can also be caused by the inflammatory response due to muscle damage during exercise.
However, research shows that taking a supplement containing fish oil after your workout helps decrease inflammation and may even be more effective at relieving pain than NSAIDs.
Multivitamins
Supplements that contain various vitamins, such as vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin D, and vitamin E, have also been shown to help decrease post-exercise soreness.
Together these vitamins help decrease inflammation and flush lactic acid and the CK enzyme from the muscles, as well as also provide antioxidants to fight cell-damaging free radicals, which helps boost muscle repair.
Tart Cherry
Taking tart cherry supplements following training has also been shown to help reduce muscle soreness and tired legs.
In fact, a study involving 54 runners showed that it helped repair taxed muscle tissue, resulting in less muscle damage and inflammation and thus achiness.
What are the Advantages/Benefits of Post Workout Supplements for Muscle Soreness?
The main benefit of post-workout supplements for muscle soreness is they nurture your body with essential ingredients it needs to promote optimum muscle recovery after taxing physical fitness.
This not only helps you experience results, but it also helps prevent tissue damage and inflammation that can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness.
It also enables you to continue working out the next day while your fibers continue to repair, so you keep experiencing results.
Things to Look For/Attributes That Differentiate These Products
The overall attribute that differentiates post-workout supplements is the ingredients it contains, which provides different effects.
Some products have also been scientifically proven, third-party tested as safe, and only include high-grade ingredients, which sets them apart as higher quality.
What’s the Best Way to Use Post Workout Supplements for Muscle Soreness?
Opinions vary over when post-supplements should be taken for the best results. However, the ingredients contained in the supplement actually dictates when it should be taken.
For instance, BAACs can be taken during or right after your workout.
However, casein works gradually over hours; therefore, it is usually taken before sleep to give it time to kick in.
Meanwhile, glutamine can also be taken right after your workout, or you can take it before you go to bed.
Therefore, the best way to use post-workout supplements is to determine the time it takes for the ingredients to digest and then go from there.
Prerequisites/Precautions for Using This Type of Product
Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, which means they do not have to be tested for efficacy or safety or that their intended effects are backed by research.
For this reason, experts warn that it is important to research post-workout supplements before using them.
They also suggest that you look for products that are third-party tested or that are NSF certified, which means their claims are backed by an official entity.
It is also important to speak with a dietician or your doctor before taking a supplement, especially if you have an underlying health issue, are pregnant, or you are on medication, in which case it can cause adverse effects.
The dietician or your doctor can also recommend the best post supplement based on your specific needs.
Best Post Workout Supplement Product Review
Post JYM Active Matrix
Post JYM Active Matrix is a BCAA based recovery product that also integrates the benefits of other amino acids to provide a supreme after-workout mix for increasing protein synthesis and muscle building for faster recovery.
The amino acids taurine and L-carnitine also increase the metabolism, as well as fat burning, and also helps reduce post-performance fatigue.
Pros:
- The amino acids are already broken down to their simplest form to immediately jumpstart muscle recovery and repair.
- It also helps manage cortisol levels.
- It comes in a tasty flavor.
- It doesn’t contain a proprietary blend.
Cons:
- It should be combined with other JYM workout products for best results.
- It may cause stomach issues.
- It is not recommended for those with tree nut allergies.
XTEND Original BCAA Powder
XTEND Original BCAA Powder contains 7 grams of BCAAs in a 2 to 1 ratio to better support post-workout recovery and muscle growth.
Electrolytes are also added to support rehydration after muscle-bearing activities.
It is also trusted and used by world-class athletes, including elite bodybuilders, fighters, and more, to recover post-training.
Pros:
- It also contains electrolytes for post-workout rehydration.
- It is third-party tested.
- It is sugar-free and carb-free.
- It comes in many flavors.
Cons:
- It it not recommended for those with dairy, wheat, fish, shell fish, tree nut, peanut, almond, sulfur, eggs, or corn allergies.
BSN CELLMASS 2.0
BSN CELLMASS 2.0 is an amino acid blend that aims to rebuild muscles and aid in their recovery from intense workouts.
It also contains whey protein and an additional 10 grams of BCAAs for next-level training support.
Pros:
- It contains amino acids, BCAAs, and whey for a complete post-workout powder.
- It also contains sucralose to replenish glycogen in the muscles for additional support.
- The ingredients are present in a concentrated form for greater overall results.
- It mixes well.
Cons:
- It may cause nausea and bloating is some individuals.
VINTAGE BUILD Post Workout
VINTAGE BUILD Post Workout contains the essential muscle recovery rebuilding ingredients for effective after workout healing, and it’s all encapsulated in a tasty flavored powder that mixes well with water. Or choose unflavored to blend well with any drink.
Pros:
- It contains all 3 essential muscle building ingredients plus to keep your muscles fed.
- It’s a great lean muscle builder for those not looking to bulk up.
- It’s third-party tested.
- It mixes easily with various drinks.
Cons:
- It contains artificial coloring.
- It may cause stomach issues and muscle cramping in individuals sensitive to creatine.
Performance Lab® SPORT Post
Performance Lab® SPORT Post is one of the industry’s cleanest muscle restoring post-workout formulas, and it also acts like a sports drink in when combined with water, providing much-needed rehydration after intense training.
It also contains advanced forms of muscle-boosting creatine and beta-alanine with a complex of high-grade restorative nutrients for impressive muscle building and restoration during the resting stage.
It is also intelligently designed to deliver a quicker, healthier recovery over other supplements on the market.
Pros:
- It contains clean ingredients.
- It also helps with rehydration post-workout.
- It’s easy to swallow veggie capsule are also prebiotic infused for superior absorption and digestion of nutrients.
- It also protects the muscles from breakdown.
Cons:
- It may be a bit pricey due to its superior quality.
Related: Click here to read our full review of Performance Lab® SPORT Post.
Final Thoughts
For an all in one post-workout supplement, Performance Lab® SPORT Post wins as the best workout supplement for muscle soreness with its masterful blend of essential amino acid, muscle-boosting ingredients that include L glutamine, creatine, and beta-alanine.
Its also intelligently designed with SR Carnosyn, which sustains the release of beta-alanine, so it stays in the body longer for optimum muscle recovery and repair.
And as if that wasn’t enough, it also contains electrolytes for rehydration, which is important both during and after training to maintain fluid levels in the body, so you feel more energized.
Hence, it eliminates the need for mind-boggling contemplation over various products because it does the work for you, so you can keep your thinking on your training.
It’s also clean and enclosed in plant-based, prebiotic infused capsules, so it’s safe for everyday use. Its capsule form also makes it easier to combine with other workout products if you’d like.
Therefore, if you are looking to gain lean muscle over bulk, you might want to check out this best post workout supplement for muscle soreness, and it’s also great for both men and women.
