Best Recovery Drinks for Runners for 2025

The iRunFar team tested a dozen different recovery options to determine which were best. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

One of the most important aspects of training for endurance athletes is our nutrition, and choosing the best recovery drink after a workout can help speed recovery so that you can get back out there. Whether you are training for a race, going for long romps in the mountains, or simply moving your body on a regular basis, getting enough quality calories, carbohydrates, and protein is key to feeling good — mentally and physically — and getting faster and stronger.

The nutrients we take in right after exercise give our muscles the glycogen and protein needed to replace energy stores and repair and build muscle tissue. Skipping this regularly contributes to a spectrum of issues, ranging from a lack of performance all the way to the development of more serious problems such as Low Energy Availability (LEA) or Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S).

Commercially prepared recovery drinks are a convenient way to get in the recommended 20 grams of protein and additional carbohydrates right after exercise. These are a quick and easy alternative to eating whole foods.

We found that Tailwind Recovery Mix provided the proper nutrition in a great-tasting mix, making it our favorite recovery drink. Our testing team loved the taste of Skratch Labs Recovery Sport Drink Mix, and Fluid Recovery provides an excellent, cost-effective recovery drink option.

You can learn more about choosing a recovery drink by jumping to our how-to-choose section and reading our answers to frequently asked questions about recovery drinks. Below our picks, we also describe our testing methodology for this guide.

Best Recovery Drinks for Runners

• Best Overall Recovery Drink: Tailwind Recovery Mix
• Best Overall Recovery Drink — Runner-Up: Gu Roctane Protein Recovery Drink Mix
• Best High-Protein Recovery Drink: Osmo Rapid Recovery
• Best Tasting Recovery Drink: Skratch Labs Recovery Sport Drink Mix
• Best Budget Recovery Drink: Fluid Recovery

Whether doing a speed workout or going for an easy jog, post-exercise nutrition is important for recovery. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Best Overall Recovery Drink: Tailwind Recovery Mix

Pros:

• There is a good variety of flavors
• Ideal carbohydrate-to-protein ratio
• Reasonable price

Cons:

• There is not as much protein as in other mixes

Tailwind Recovery Mix earned top marks amongst our testing team for its flavor, nutritional content, and plant-based formulation. This mix comes in a variety of tasty flavors, all of which are vegan. The main protein source is rice protein, which is supplemented with additional amino acids to supply all of the proteins needed for rebuilding muscle. Powdered coconut milk adds a little fat and creates a creamy shake that you’d never guess was completely plant-based!

Our testers loved all of the flavor options and found that mixing and matching them created additional flavor options that were equally as tasty. For example, mixing the salted caramel into iced coffee created a very tasty and functional post-exercise “latte” that we loved. Several on our testing team also carry chocolate Tailwind Recovery Mix on fastpacking trips and mix it with warm water as an end-of-day treat.

The blend has a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. Additionally, it has the most electrolytes of the mixes we tested, so you can rehydrate and refuel all in one. The coffee-flavored mix contains 80 milligrams of caffeine—from coffee extract—roughly the same as one cup of regular coffee. The 43 grams of carbohydrates and 11 grams of protein per serving are a good start to recovery, but you’ll need an additional meal or snack to reach the recommended 20 grams of protein for ideal recovery.

This mix certainly isn’t inexpensive, but at $2.50 to $3.00 per serving, its price is right in the middle of the mixes we sampled.

Cost: $3 for single-serving packet, $40 for 15-serving bag, $72 for 30-serving bag | Calories per serving: 240 | Protein per serving: 11 grams | Carbohydrates per serving: 43 grams | Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Coffee

Best Overall Recovery Drink — Runner-Up: Gu Roctane Protein Recovery Drink Mix

Pros:

• Good amount of protein per serving
• Mixes easily

Cons:

• Only two flavor options
• Pricey

The Gu Roctane Protein Recovery Mix comes from a longstanding exercise nutrition company better known for its during-exercise products. This recovery drink mixes up easily and provides 20 grams of whey protein per serving and 30 grams of carbohydrates. There is no vegan option.

The ingredient list is fairly short; most of the carbohydrates and sweetness come from dextrose. There are no other sweeteners, such as stevia, found in other recovery drink mixes. Some added sea salt helps replenish lost sodium, and L-glutamine, which is an amino acid, aids in muscle recovery. This mix is only available in vanilla and chocolate, so you’ll have to get a little more creative if you want to shake things up (see what I did there?) A pinch of cinnamon or a packet of instant coffee are good options to change up the flavors.

This was also one of the pricier mixes, costing $3.00 to $3.50 per serving.

Cost: $35 for 10 single-serve packets, $45 per 15-serving bag | Calories per serving: 230 | Protein per serving: 20 grams | Carbohydrates per serving: 30 grams | Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla

Best High-Protein Recovery Drink: Osmo Rapid Recovery

Pros:

• Good protein content
• Natural-tasting flavors

Cons:

• Bulk container servings are smaller than single-serve packets, so if you want the extra protein, you will have to use an extra scoop per serving
• Limited flavor options

The Osmo Rapid Recovery mix packs a solid protein punch with 28 grams of whey and casein protein blended in one 60-gram packet of their vanilla recovery drink mix. The chocolate mix has slightly less protein — 23 grams — in the same size serving. It’s worth noting that the serving size on the bulk jar is 40 grams of powder — two scoops — while the serving in a single packet is 60  grams. You’ll have to use three scoops to get the same protein content from the bulk jar.

Cane sugar and honey powder are the sweeteners and sources of carbohydrates, and cocoa powder and ground vanilla bean powder provide flavoring, which creates a more natural taste than some of the other options tested. Green tea extract adds a small amount of caffeine, which has been shown in some studies to enhance glycogen replacement.

The powder mixes easily; we especially liked it in milk — either dairy or plant tasted great — for a creamier shake. The cost per serving is $2.00 to $3.25, in line with most of the other recovery drink mixes we tested.

Cost: $26 for eight single-serve packets, $38 for 14-serving container, $45 for 22-serving container | Calories per serving (Vanilla/Chocolate): 210/140 | Protein per serving (Vanilla/Chocolate): 28/23 grams | Carbohydrates per serving: 24 grams | Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla

Best Tasting Recovery Drink: Skratch Labs Recovery Sport Drink Mix

Pros:

• Limited and more natural ingredients
• Vegan option available
• Unique flavors like horchata and strawberries and cream

Cons:

• Low protein content per serving
• The larger-serving bag is only available in chocolate flavor

Taste is a very subjective matter, and opinions will vary wildly from person to person, but with that said, Skratch Labs Recovery Sport Drink Mix received the highest marks amongst our testers. The relatively small ingredient list includes milk, cane sugar, and simple flavorings such as cocoa, strawberry juice powder, vanilla, and cinnamon to create a natural-tasting recovery treat. This mix tastes excellent in both water and various milks and mixes very easily.

Milk protein is the main source of protein, and the mix also contains some lactase and probiotics, which may aid in digestion. There is also an oat milk latte-flavored vegan option made with pea and rice protein. The non-vegan mix only has eight grams of protein per serving, so an additional protein supplement is essential for adequate recovery.

Cost: $34 for 12 serving bag, $57 for 24 serving bag | Calories per serving: 200 | Protein per serving: 8 grams | Carbohydrates per serving: 35 grams | Flavors: Chocolate, Horchata, Strawberries and Cream, Vegan Oat Milk Latte

Best Budget Recovery Drink: Fluid Recovery

Pros:

• Variety of flavors
• Great value

Cons:

• Lower protein content
• Stevia flavor is noticeable

Fluid Recovery is one of the more interesting drink mix options we tested. It comes in a wide range of flavors, from traditional chocolate to cinnamon vanilla, mint chocolate, tropical fruit, and mixed berry, with the latter being the highest-rated out of all the tested flavors.

There are whey protein isolate options and vegan powders made with pea protein. Each serving contains a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein and added amino acids. With 10 grams of protein per serving, this mix is on the lower end of the protein content range, so you’ll need an additional protein source for better recovery.

The vegan options include stevia extract for sweetening, which is very noticeable if you are sensitive to the flavor. The whey protein versions contain cane sugar, which our tester, who didn’t like stevia, found much more palatable. They all mixed up quite easily, and the fruit versions were very refreshing after a hot run. This mix — like all we tested — isn’t exactly inexpensive, as we are paying for convenience when using a premade recovery mix. The larger bulk bags of Fluid Recovery had the lowest per-serving cost of the mixes we tested at $1.75 per serving.

Cost: $3 per single-serving packet, $33 for 16-serving bag, $70 for 40-serving bag | Calories per serving: 160 | Protein per serving: 10 grams | Carbohydrates per serving: 30 grams | Flavors: Vanilla Cinnamon, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, Tropical, Mixed Berry

Comparison of the Best Recovery Drinks

Glossary of Recovery Drink Terms

• Protein: Proteins are large complex molecules that perform many different roles in our bodies and makeup 80 percent of muscles. They also exist in the skin and connective tissues of our bodies. They are also essential to the function of our immune system and are involved in chemical reactions, hormones, receptors on our cells, and oxygen and nutrient transport. Proteins have smaller building blocks called amino acids. When we ingest protein, our body breaks it down into its amino acids and then uses them to make the proteins we need for these complicated physiological functions. Picture your dietary protein as Legos: We eat a complete Lego city, and our body knocks it down, takes those little blocks, and rebuilds new fancy Lego buildings that keep our brain, muscles, and everything in between working smoothly.
• Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are nutrients made up of sugar molecules. There are three major categories of carbohydrates: simple (sugar and fruit), complex (starch, such as potato, pasta, or rice), and fiber (found in whole grains, vegetables, and beans). Our body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose to provide our cells with energy. Any leftover glucose is stored as glycogen by our muscles and liver for later use. Once glycogen stores are topped off, the glucose is converted to fat through a process called lipogenesis and stored in fat cells for later use.
• Glycogen: Glycogen includes linked-together glucose molecules that our body stores in our muscles and liver to be used for energy when needed. Under normal circumstances, liver glycogen regulates our blood glucose levels, preventing drops between meals, and muscle glycogen is primarily used during exercise to provide energy to our muscle cells.
• Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S): RED-S exists due to insufficient available energy to support an athlete’s training. If an athlete is not taking in enough calories, muscle repair and glycogen storage are impaired, and lack of fuel can also disrupt hormones, the immune system, the cardiovascular system, mental health, and bone health. If not corrected, it will lead to issues such as fatigue, poor athletic performance, weight loss, and reduced bone density that can lead to stress fractures and loss of the menstrual period in biological females. Sustained calorie intake that is inadequate to support the energy needed for your exercise level and a diet not containing the necessary amounts of different nutrients (fat, carbohydrates, and protein) can result in RED-S.
• Low Energy Availability (LEA) results when an athlete does not take in enough calories to support the day-to-day function of their bodies and the energy expended during exercise. Calorie restriction, excessive exercise without adjusting calorie intake, eating disorders, or imbalanced diets can lead to LEA, and extended periods of LEA can result in RED-S.
• Macronutrients (Macros): Macronutrients are the main nutrient categories that make up our dietary intake. These include carbohydrates, protein, and fat. All these nutrients play important roles in providing energy and are essential to support health and normal body functions.

Proper nutrition can help prevent Low Energy Availability (LEA) and Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome (RED-S). Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

How to Choose a Recovery Drink

Ingredients

The key components of recovery drinks are carbohydrates and protein, ideally in a ratio of three to four grams of carbohydrate to one gram of protein. Carbohydrate sources are frequently simple sugars such as dextrose — otherwise known as glucose — or cane sugar, though some brands use tapioca maltodextrin. The most commonly used protein sources are milk-derived, such as whey protein or casein. There are also plant-based protein options from peas, rice, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds. Tailwind Recovery Mix is a vegan recovery drink mix based around rice protein, while the vegan option from Skratch Labs Recovery Sport Drink Mix features a blend of pea and rice protein.

In addition to protein and carbohydrate sources, most recovery drink powders also contain some type of flavoring, like cocoa, vanilla powder, or the ubiquitous “natural flavors.” Alternative sweeteners, such as stevia or monk fruit, are often used in lower-sugar protein powders that contain less carbohydrates. The vegan option of Fluid Recovery includes stevia extract for flavoring. Electrolytes, particularly sodium, are frequently added to help replace losses from sweat during exercise.

Some companies add various extra ingredients into their recovery formulations to target various health benefits. These include amino acids for muscle recovery, probiotics or prebiotics for gut health, caffeine, creatine, and tart cherry for its anti-inflammatory properties. Osmo Rapid Recovery contains a small amount of caffeine, while Tailwind Recovery Mix has an option with a much more substantial amount of the stimulant.

Intended Use

Post-exercise recovery replaces the energy used during an activity and supports muscle repair. The goal of the best recovery drink mixes is to make it easy to prepare and intake the correct amount of protein and carbohydrates after exercise to optimize recovery. You should take an initial serving of recovery nutrition within 30 to 45 minutes of completing an activity for the best effects. It’s generally a good idea to aim to intake about 20 grams of protein after an activity. Osmo Rapid Recovery has the highest protein concentration of the drink mixes included in this guide.

Regardless of run length or intensity, getting nutrition in within 30 minutes of activity can optimize muscle recovery. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Taste

Taste is an incredibly subjective factor. The types of flavors and sweeteners found in the drink mixes influence taste. Our team settled on Skratch Labs Recovery Sport Drink Mix as the best-tasting recovery mix of all of the options tested. But the most important thing is to find something you like the taste of so that it’s not a chore to drink it after a workout. There are several low-sugar options on the market flavored with stevia, and dextrose provides sweetness in the mixes with higher levels of carbohydrates.

Regarding flavors, almost every brand offers the fan-favorites of chocolate with vanilla. Coffee is also frequently available. More unique options, like orange, strawberry, caramel, cinnamon spice, horchata, and golden milk, ensure that there is a recovery option for just about every taste bud out there.

Serving Size

Most recovery drink powders have a recommended serving size of roughly 50 grams of powder, most frequently sold either in single-serving packets or measured out with included scoops in bulk bags. It’s important to check the serving sizes on both single-serve packets and bulk bags, as some companies, including Osmo Rapid Recovery, have different serving sizes between the two options. Most brands design serving sizes to blend with anywhere from eight to 20 ounces of liquid. You can, of course, increase or decrease the amount of powder or liquid to create a concoction that gives you the amount of carbohydrates and protein you are looking for in a palatable shake.

You can mix all the recovery powders with water, which is often the only convenient option, or with milk or a milk alternative for a heartier shake. Love a post-workout caffeine boost? Shake up your powder in some chilled leftover coffee for a tasty treat. We loved the Salted Caramel flavor of Tailwind Recovery Mix for this! In cold weather, a chocolate powder mixed in with some steamed milk or hot water makes an excellent substitute for hot chocolate.

Cost

Recovery drink powders are a convenient product that allows you to quickly and easily get a specific amount of nutrients into your system after a workout. As with most convenience products, you’ll likely pay a little more per serving than you would if you shopped for and prepared a meal to eat with the same macronutrients. Fluid Recovery provided the best value for a recovery powder that met all of our other criteria for being included in this guide.

The recovery drink powders we tested average around two to three dollars per serving, depending on the purchased volume. Bulk bags cost a bit less per serving than single-serve packets and are also more environmentally friendly. Conversely, a seven-serving bottle of Fairlife chocolate milk has 13 grams of protein per serving and will cost around five to six dollars but needs refrigeration. You can also consider that a serving of rice costs around twenty cents and will give you 36 grams of carbs and three grams of protein, and if you add a protein source, you have a very inexpensive recovery snack. But it’s hard to beat the convenience of mixing a recovery powder with water when you get back to your car after a run as you don’t have to worry about refrigerating it during your run like you would with chocolate mild or other whole foods.

The convenience of mixing a recovery drink with water after a workout is hard to beat. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Why You Should Trust Us

To create this guide, we extensively researched available recovery drinks on the market today and narrowed our search from 35 products to a dozen for testing. We used these products in multiple climates and after various workouts, including heavy weight lifting, long trail runs, mountain bike rides, and mountain hikes. We also tested recovery mixes in both hot and cold water after long days in the mountains in the middle of fastpacking trips and mixed them with milk, milk alternatives, and coffee when we needed a little pick-me-up after a workout.

We evaluated the best recovery drinks based on their protein, carbohydrate, and calorie content, taste, drinkability, ease on the stomach, recovery effect, and cost. We also considered flavor options and whether a vegan option was available.

Frequently Asked Questions about Recovery Drinks

What is the best drink for recovery after running?

The best recovery drink contains carbohydrates and protein to help replace glycogen stores and repair muscles and some electrolytes to aid in rehydration. The ideal ratio of macronutrients for recovery is three to four grams of carbohydrates per gram of protein. It is often easier on the stomach immediately after exercise to ingest protein through a drink mix than solid food, and you can supplement carbohydrates with easier-to-stomach food, like chips — because who doesn’t love a salty bag of chips after a hot run!

Mixing recovery powder in milk is also a great way to increase protein and carbohydrate content. Most drink mixes in this guide had between 10 and 20 grams of protein per serving — ideal for recovery. Skratch Labs Recovery Sport Drink Mix only had eight grams of protein, so you’ll probably want to consider supplementing this mix with another protein source.

Proper nutrition can promote muscle recovery and ensure that you’re ready for your next run. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

How can I speed up my recovery as a runner?

Nutrition is key to good recovery and performance gains. Maintaining balanced and adequate day-to-day nutrition is critical to supporting the energy needed for training and racing. Taking in carbohydrates and protein right after exercise — ideally within 30 to 45 minutes — along with hydration and electrolyte replacement, will jumpstart the replacement of glycogen and rebuilding of muscle to help you recover from strenuous workouts and long runs. The 20 grams of protein and 30 grams of carbohydrate in a serving of Gu Roctane Protein Recovery Drink Mix is a great way to start your recovery after a run.

What drinks are best for muscle recovery?

The best recovery drink for muscles has carbohydrates, proteins, and electrolytes. Many people erroneously assume that protein is the most important nutrient to take in right after exercise, but carbohydrates are equally important to replace glycogen stores and boost muscle repair. One without the other will not lead to optimal recovery. Tailwind Recovery Mix, which was our favorite recovery drink, has 43 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams of protein, and more electrolytes than most of the other mixes, making it ideal for getting a headstart on recovery.

What should I not drink after a run?

While a cold beer can be tempting after a long day on the trails, you should generally avoid alcohol if you’re looking to optimize your recovery. Alcohol can decrease both glycogen and muscle protein synthesis post-exercise, impairing recovery and strength gains. It is also a diuretic that can impair your body’s ability to rehydrate itself and can negatively affect sleep quality. While many of us will continue to enjoy a drink with friends, avoiding alcohol for a few hours post-exercise can improve your recovery.

Some studies show caffeine can improve muscle glycogen replacement and reduce post-exercise soreness, though there is no scientific consensus on the dose required. The studies are all relatively small, and it’s unknown if this finding will hold true with more testing. On the flip side, caffeine can impair sleep and act as a diuretic, potentially increasing fluid loss. Osmo Rapid Recovery contains a small amount of caffeine derived from green tea, and Tailwind Recovery Mix has a coffee flavor with 35 milligrams of caffeine, about half of a normal cup of coffee.

As a general rule of thumb, if you aren’t super sensitive to caffeine, go ahead and have that cup of coffee or nice cold Coke after your run, but if it gives you heart palpitations and keeps you up all night, it’s probably best to steer clear and stick with another fluid source for carbohydrates.

A recovery drink mixed with coffee can be the perfect treat after a morning run. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

When should I have a recovery drink?

Any activity that gets your heart rate up warrants recovery nutrition. Recovery after an easier workout or activity can look like a small snack — timing your morning or afternoon snack after a quick walk or bike ride is smart — but any longer or higher-intensity efforts will require more focused recovery nutrition. If you’ve only gone out for a short jog, drinking a serving of Skratch Labs Recovery Sport Drink Mix with only eight grams of protein might be enough, but for longer efforts, you’ll want to consider higher-protein drinks, like Osmo Rapid Recovery or Gu Roctane Protein Recovery Drink Mix.

How soon after exercise should I have my recovery drink?

Drinking a recovery drink like Tailwind Recovery Mix as soon as possible post-exercise, ideally within 30 to 45 minutes, is the best for muscle recovery. If you are going to have a larger meal soon after, a recovery drink with 15 grams of protein and 45 grams of carbohydrates is a good start. If you have trouble with your appetite and eating after long runs, increase the amount of liquid nutrition to 20 to 30 grams of protein and 80 to 120 grams of carbohydrate.

If your drink mix isn’t providing enough of one or the other, you can change the ratios by mixing the powder with milk or a milk substitute instead of water, or you can add pure protein powder to your mix as well.

Expert Advice About Recovery Drinks

If all of the information mentioned above made your head spin a bit, don’t worry — you’re definitely not alone. To make sense of the information floating around regarding post-exercise recovery nutrition, we interviewed two registered dieticians with extensive experience working with endurance athletes: Carolyn Stocker MS, RD, LD, a nutrition lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who coaches athletes through her own coaching business and with Chaski Endurance Collective; and Emily Tessier RDN, LDN, a Registered Dietitian for Brown University Athletics.

Importance of recovery nutrition

As mentioned above, taking in fuel post-exercise helps replace energy stores and rebuild muscles. Carolyn underscores that the post-recovery meal is the most important of the day for active people and that missing this opportunity to fuel can increase the risk of developing LEA or RED-S. She notes, “Our muscles are sponges at this time, so prioritizing fueling post-movement, regardless of the type or length, is important to repair our muscles and replenish our energy.”

Both experts emphasize that this is important after all workouts, not just the longer or harder efforts. Simply put, if you moved your body and got your heart rate up, you need some form of recovery nutrition.

Post-workout recovery, in addition to stretching, proper sleep, and good nutrition, is important for optimizing workouts. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Timing of recovery nutrition

Both Carolyn and Emily stress that recovery nutrition is most important in the hour following exercise, though ideally within 30 to 45 minutes. Tessier says, “Timing is essential with post-workout fueling. Your training is not complete until you refuel, and your body is primed to take in easy-to-digest carbohydrates and protein immediately following exercise. If you finish your workout over an hour before your next meal, a recovery snack is essential.”

Recovery nutrition composition

The ideal ratio of recovery nutrition is three to four grams of carbohydrate to one gram of protein. You can consume this solely from a recovery drink or a mix of a recovery drink within 30 minutes of finishing a workout and a meal within two hours of activity to round out the needed carbohydrates and protein and add some fat.

Both Carolyn and Emily stress the importance of carbohydrates in post-exercise nutrition. Many people focus primarily on protein, which is important, but carbohydrates are the workhorse of our recovery nutrition. “A lot of people think all they need is protein post-workout, but we need carbohydrates to replenish our glycogen stores, and they may also accelerate muscle protein synthesis and repair,” notes Stocker. Tessier adds a great visual analogy for this: “If your body is a car, picture the protein as the mechanic and the carbs as your gas. You could have a brand-new car in perfect condition, but if you don’t have any gas in the tank, you won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.”

If you go straight to a meal within an hour of exercise, balance it with a good protein source and carbohydrates. If not, a recovery snack or drink is important to jumpstart your muscle recovery. The amount we need will vary based on athlete size and the duration and intensity of the workout, but both dieticians recommended at least 15 grams of protein and 45 grams of carbohydrates, but up to 30 grams of protein and 120 grams of carbohydrates is better if you don’t have a meal coming up. Mixing and matching recovery drinks and snacks can help to get adequate protein and carbohydrates in, especially if you find it hard to eat following a workout.

All types of runners need to focus on recovery to optimize their performance. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Other recovery recommendations

An immediate recovery snack, taken within 30 minutes of exercise, and a balanced meal within two to three hours are the most important calorie sources to optimize your muscle recovery and replace your glycogen stores so you can reap the benefits of your hard work and be ready for your next run. While all of the recovery drinks mentioned in this guide are great options to get those post-exercise carbohydrates and protein in, other snack ideas mentioned by Emily and Carolyn include chocolate milk, Greek yogurt, a granola bar, a sandwich, jerky with crackers, and some dried fruit, or an energy bar. Using a recovery drink mix alongside any of these snack ideas will get you what you need for good recovery.

You also need to hydrate well after a workout. The best recovery drinks have the bonus of including some sodium and requiring fluids to drink them, so they do double duty here. If you’re looking for a drink mix to help with rehydration, you can check out our best electrolyte powders guide.

Call for Comments

• Do you use a recovery drink after your workouts?
• Is there a recovery drink that you love that we haven’t included in this guide?
• What other recovery techniques do you use to optimize your training?

References

Kerksick, C.M., Arent, S., Schoenfeld, B.J. et al. (2017) International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Nutrient Timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(33). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0189-4

Bonilla DA, Pérez-Idárraga A, Odriozola-Martínez A, Kreider RB. (2020). The 4R’s Framework of Nutritional Strategies for Post-Exercise Recovery: A Review with Emphasis on New Generation of Carbohydrates. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(1),103. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18010103.

Lakicevic, N. (2019). The Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Recovery Following Resistance Exercise: A Systematic Review. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 4(3),41. doi: 10.3390/jfmk4030041

Guest, N. S., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Nelson, M. T., Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Jenkins, N. D. M., Arent, S. M., Antonio, J., Stout, J. R., Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Goldstein, E. R., Kalman, D. S., & Campbell, B. I. (2021). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Caffeine and Exercise Performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4