How Does Protein Supplementation Impact Recovery Time for Athletes?
- Julian Simpson
- May 4
- 3 min read
How Does Protein Supplementation Impact Recovery Time for Athletes?
Research has looked into the recovery time of basketballers and how they recover after a busy training and playing schedule. This area of study is particularly significant given the physical demands placed on athletes in this high-intensity sport, where performance can be affected by numerous factors including fatigue, injury, and overall physical condition.
Basketball is an intermittent sport characterized by continuous activity changes, where high-intensity multidirectional actions such as changes of direction, rapid accelerations and decelerations, sprints, and jumps are alternated with periods of lower intensity, like jogging, walking, or standing. The nature of the game requires players to engage in powerful, explosive movements that include a considerable number of eccentric muscle contractions. These contractions have been linked to exercise-induced muscle trauma, which can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and other complications affecting recovery.
In professional leagues such as the National Basketball Association (NBA), players often encounter a congested schedule, which may include either two games on two consecutive days or multiple games (up to five games) on consecutive days. This intense competition schedule is not only on the athletes physically but also mentally, as they must maintain peak performance levels while managing fatigue. Such schedules are common during special types of tournaments, including cups or qualifiers, lower-division leagues, national cup competitions, and various U18 tournaments, further emphasizing the need for effective recovery strategies.
What happens to the body after a game?
After a game, players experience various physiological changes, including muscle soreness (DOMS) and marked elevations in plasma concentrations of creatine kinase, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10. These biomarkers indicate muscle damage and inflammation, and players may notice a decline in agility, speed, and flexibility that can last for up to 24 hours post-game. Such declines in physical capabilities can impact subsequent performances, particularly in a congested schedule where recovery time is limited.
Furthermore, participation in three consecutive games has been shown to induce an almost six-fold increase in serum CK concentration on game days. This elevation in CK levels remains significant, with values that are three times higher than baseline levels continuing until 72 hours post-game for players in the High Physical Training (High PT) group. Notably, at 24 hours following each game, CK levels ranged between 500 and 600 IU, reflecting a response similar to that observed after strenuous muscle-damaging exercise protocols, such as performing 100 drop jumps or 75 eccentric muscle contractions. This highlights the extent of muscle damage incurred during games and the subsequent need for recovery.
Nutritional strategies play a crucial role in aiding recovery, particularly those that focus on increased carbohydrate, fluid, and protein intake. These strategies have been shown to support the recovery process of muscle function and physical performance in team sport athletes. Proper nutrition is essential not only for replenishing energy stores but also for facilitating muscle repair and reducing soreness, thereby allowing players to return to training and competition more effectively.
Particular attention has been paid to protein, given its ability to maximize muscle protein synthesis and promote a positive net protein balance during recovery from exercise. Consuming adequate amounts of high-quality protein is vital, as it provides the necessary amino acids to rebuild and repair muscle tissues that have been damaged during games. High-quality protein supplements are rich in sulphur-containing amino acids such as glycine, glutamate, and cysteine, which serve as precursors for the synthesis of glutathione (GSH), a powerful antioxidant that helps combat oxidative stress.
Increased availability of GSH through N-acetylcysteine supplementation has been shown to attenuate the inflammatory response and performance impairment during the short-term (24–72 hours) recovery period following eccentric exercise-induced muscle trauma. By mitigating inflammation and oxidative damage, such supplementation can enhance recovery, allowing athletes to maintain their performance levels across demanding schedules.
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Pantazis, D.; Avloniti, A.; Dimitrios, D.; Stampoulis, T.; Protopapa, M.; Kokkotis, C.; Balampanos, D.; Arsenis, S.; Poulios, A.; Papanikolaou, K.; et al. The Effect of Protein Supplementation and Playing Time on Recovery Kinetics During a Congested Basketball Schedule. Nutrients 2025, 17, 128. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17010128
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