Probably the most talked about and popular supplement for people of all ages is protein powder, or more specifically whey protein powder. In this post I’m going to discuss whether or not a hockey player needs to supplement with Whey Protein powder.

I’m not going to go into the specifics of why protein is needed in the body, but it definitely needs to be present in everyone’s diet, and especially any athletes. In short protein repairs and builds muscle and also helps carbohydrate storage in the form of glycogen.

Whey Protein During Hockey Season

As I mentioned in my hockey pre game meal article, protein isn’t the best “fuel” for energy and should be consumed only in very small amounts before hockey games (with the focus on carbohydrates).

With that said, protein is important after hockey games to repair and rebuild muscle that is broken down during the game.  It is often recommended that an athlete, such as a hockey player, gets lots of carbs and some protein within 30 minutes of the end of their game.  This would be a time where an athlete can consume whey protein mixed with water (as long as they are eating carbohydrates too).

Another meal with more carbohydrates and protein should be eaten about an hour or so later.  For this meal I would recommend trying to get a solid protein (ie: chicken), but if needed whey protein would be better than getting no protein at all.

Whey Protein For Hockey Players In The Off Season

Protein, such as a whey protein supplement, is very important for hockey players during their off season, especially when weight lifting.  If the hockey player is trying to gain size, which is common in young hockey players, they must be getting an adequate amount of protein in their diet.

Again, post exercise (lifting weights), protein and carbs should be consumed within 30 minutes.  The easiest way to get your protein and carbs immediately after training is probably going to be a whey protein supplement + a source of carbs.  My recommendation is blending whey protein with a variety of fruits and either water or skim milk.  An alternative is a weight gainer type protein which includes whey protein and carbohydrates.  These are the easiest routes to go for young hockey players.

To sum up the post – yes whey protein is fine for hockey players.  Protein should always be consumed with carbohydrates after exercise (which includes hockey games, workouts, etc) and sometimes the easiest way for young players to receive their protein is through whey protein supplements.