When Is the Best Time to Drink a Protein Shake?

The best time to drink a protein shake is whenever it helps you reach your total protein for the day, because how much protein you eat across the day matters far more than the exact time you drink it. After training, between meals and before bed all work. Spreading your protein evenly over about four meals or snacks may give you a small extra edge, and a slow-digesting casein shake is a handy option at night.

Best time to drink a protein shake: quick guide

If you only remember one thing: hit your daily protein target first, then use shakes to fill the gaps at the times that suit your routine.

Total daily protein matters most

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) suggests 1.4 to 2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight a day for most people who exercise. The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) puts athletes in heavy training at 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg a day, and higher when they are losing weight. It also notes that most athletes reach their target from food alone, so a shake is a convenience, not a must.

A 2013 meta-analysis of protein timing studies found that when total protein intake was taken into account, the timing of protein around workouts made little difference to muscle size or strength. In other words, the person who drinks a shake at the "wrong" time but eats enough protein overall will do better than the person with perfect timing and too little protein. Not sure what your number is? Our protein per day guide walks you through it.

Spread your protein across the day

Once your total is right, how you split it is the next lever. The AIS now sets protein targets in terms of the spread over the day, and suggests about 0.3 to 0.4 g of protein per kg of body weight at each meal or snack, which is typically 15 to 30 g. A 2018 review by Schoenfeld and Aragon suggests about 0.4 g per kg per meal across at least four meals to make the most of muscle building.

Protein per meal by body weight

One scoop of R1 Whey Blend gives 24 g of protein, which covers a typical meal-sized serve for many people. A common pattern is a protein breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus one shake after training or mid-afternoon, which is often the meal where protein is lowest.

Is there an anabolic window after training?

The old advice was that you had 30 to 60 minutes after a workout to drink a shake or you would lose your gains. The research does not support such a tight deadline. The ISSN says the muscle-building effect of exercise lasts at least 24 hours, although it likely fades the longer you wait. A 2013 review titled "Nutrient timing revisited" concluded that the window is much wider than once thought, and that what you ate before training also counts.

• If you ate a meal with protein in the few hours before training, there is no rush. Have your next protein meal or shake when it suits you.
• If you train first thing in the morning without eating, having protein soon after training makes more sense, because it has been a long time since your last meal.
• Before or after? A 2017 trial that gave trained men protein either just before or just after training found similar gains in muscle and strength. Pick the option that sits best in your stomach.

Casein before bed: is it worth it?

Casein is the slow-digesting protein in milk. It forms a thicker mix in the stomach and releases amino acids over several hours, which is why it is popular at night. The ISSN position stand says 30 to 40 g of casein before sleep increases muscle protein synthesis overnight. Studies on whether that adds up to bigger gains over months are fewer, and the results are mixed, so think of it as a useful way to add protein rather than a magic step.

Two caseins we stock:

• R1 Casein gives 25 g of protein per 35 g scoop from micellar casein, and the 4 lb tub has about 52 serves. It is $164.95 at the time of writing, which works out to about $3.17 a serve.
• ON Gold Standard 100% Casein gives 24 g of protein per 34 g scoop of Chocolate Supreme, with about 53 serves in the 4 lb tub. It is $159.95, or about $3.02 a serve.

To reach the 30 to 40 g studied, have a heaped scoop or one and a half scoops, or mix one scoop with milk, which adds its own casein. Casein mixes thick, so it also works as a pudding: stir it with a little water or milk until it is like mousse. Compare more options in our best casein protein guide.

Which shake should you drink when?

For most people, one good whey is enough. R1 Whey Blend mixes whey concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate, gives 24 g of protein per scoop and costs about $2.86 a serve in the 5 lb tub at $199.95, based on about 70 serves. Drink it after training, at breakfast or whenever a meal is light on protein.

Add a casein if your evening is when protein is lowest, or if you get hungry late at night. A shake is not a full meal, though. If you want something to replace breakfast or lunch, look at our meal replacement shakes, which are made to cover more than just protein.

Our pick

Start with total protein, spread it over about four meals, and use shakes to fill the gaps. Our pick for an everyday shake is R1 Whey Blend 5 lb, and for a night-time shake R1 Casein 4 lb. If you only want one tub, choose the whey and drink it whenever you are short on protein. See every option in our whey protein range and casein range, or compare the top picks in our best protein powder in Australia guide.

How our price compares

Here is what the same products cost at other Australian supplement stores, so you can check the difference yourself.

Supps247 prices come from our website. Other prices were checked on the websites of Nutrition Warehouse, Australian Sports Nutrition (ASN), Elite Supps and Supplement Mart on 29 October 2026 (same product and size, price for one unit) and can change at any time. Sale means it was on sale that day. Not listed means we could not find that exact product on their site. Other sizes only means they sell it in a different size. Supps247 members can use our Price Match Guarantee against Nutrition Warehouse, ASN, Elite Supps and Supplement Mart: we beat their full price by 5% or match their sale price (conditions apply).

Shop the products in this guide

R1 Whey Blend 5 lb$199.95R1 Casein 4 lb$164.95ON Gold Standard 100% Casein 4 lb$159.95

Browse all whey protein powders and casein proteins.

FAQs

Should I drink a protein shake before or after a workout?

Either works. Studies comparing protein before and after training generally show similar results, and the ISSN says the muscle-building effect of a workout lasts at least 24 hours. If you trained fasted early in the morning, have protein soon after. If you ate a protein meal in the few hours before training, there is no need to rush your shake.

Is it bad to drink a protein shake before bed?

No. The ISSN position stand says 30 to 40 g of casein before sleep increases muscle protein synthesis overnight. Whether that leads to bigger gains over months is less clear, as the research is mixed. Casein is the usual choice at night because it digests slowly, but any protein that helps you reach your daily target is useful.

How much protein should be in one shake?

The AIS suggests about 0.3 to 0.4 g of protein per kg of body weight at each meal or snack, which is usually 15 to 30 g. For an 80 kg person that is about 24 to 32 g. One scoop of most whey proteins gives 20 to 25 g, so one scoop, or one scoop with milk, covers most people.

Can I drink two protein shakes a day?

Yes, if it helps you reach your daily protein and the rest of your diet is balanced. Two shakes on top of protein-rich meals is a common way for people who train to reach 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg a day. Shakes are a supplement to food, not a replacement for it, so keep eating a variety of whole foods.

Does it matter if I drink my protein shake in the morning?

A morning shake is a good idea if your breakfast is light on protein, which is common with cereal or toast. Adding a shake there helps spread protein more evenly across the day, which the AIS recommends. Total daily protein still matters most, so drink it in the morning if that is the meal where you are short.

Sources: ISSN position stand: protein and exercise (2017); AIS: protein (Group A sports foods); Schoenfeld, Aragon and Krieger 2013, protein timing meta-analysis (JISSN); Aragon and Schoenfeld 2013, Nutrient timing revisited (JISSN); Schoenfeld and Aragon 2018, protein per meal (JISSN); Schoenfeld et al. 2017, pre- versus post-exercise protein (PeerJ); product labels and brand nutrition panels, checked October 2026.

Order online with Australia-wide delivery, free on orders of $99.99 or more, with Afterpay available at checkout. You can also use click and collect at a store that offers it, or visit a Supps247 store in Melbourne, regional Victoria or Brisbane to compare products in person. Members can use our member price match on full-priced items.

Prices and stock were checked on 29 October 2026 and can change at any time. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, check with your doctor first.