What is the best thing to drink to build muscle? Your complete liquid nutrition guide

October 12, 2025 •

5 min read

Overlooked in many fitness routines, proper hydration is an unsung hero of muscle growth, with dehydration impacting performance and recovery. Understanding what is the best thing to drink to build muscle is essential for optimizing your gains and ensuring your body functions at its peak during and after workouts.

Quick Summary

Comprehensive overview of the most effective drinks for muscle building, covering the benefits of protein shakes, milk, water, and strategic supplements like creatine and coffee.

Key Points

Protein is paramount: Post-workout, a whey protein shake or milk provides the essential amino acids needed for muscle repair and growth.
Water is the foundation: Proper hydration is non-negotiable, supporting muscle function, nutrient transport, and overall performance. Dehydration compromises gains.
Creatine enhances performance: Mixing creatine with water before or after workouts can boost strength, power, and lean muscle mass over time.
Coffee offers a strategic edge: Caffeine can improve workout intensity and help reduce post-exercise muscle soreness, but monitor intake to avoid negative effects on sleep and hydration.
Milk provides a complete profile: With its blend of fast (whey) and slow (casein) proteins, plus carbs and fats, milk is a potent and cost-effective muscle-building drink.
Timing matters for optimal results: Consume fast-digesting protein (whey) and carbs after a workout, and slow-digesting protein (casein) before bed for sustained muscle support.

The Core Role of Liquid Nutrition in Muscle Growth

While solid foods form the foundation of any muscle-building diet, liquid nutrition plays a critical and often underestimated role. Proper fluid intake is necessary for delivering nutrients, regulating body temperature, and supporting muscle protein synthesis—the process by which muscles repair and grow stronger after exercise. Choosing the right beverages can significantly influence your workout performance, recovery time, and overall progress.

Protein Shakes: The Classic Choice

Protein shakes are a popular and convenient way to increase daily protein intake, which is vital for muscle repair. There are several types of protein powders, each with unique characteristics:

Whey Protein: This is a fast-digesting protein derived from milk. Its rapid absorption makes it ideal for post-workout consumption to quickly deliver amino acids to muscles and kickstart protein synthesis. Most whey powders contain 20-30 grams of protein per scoop.
Casein Protein: Also derived from milk, casein digests slowly, providing a sustained release of amino acids. This makes it a great option before bed to fuel muscles overnight or to stay satiated longer, which is beneficial for appetite control during weight loss.
Plant-Based Protein: Vegan alternatives, such as those made from pea, brown rice, and hemp, provide complete protein for individuals with dietary restrictions. Many plant-based blends combine different sources to ensure all essential amino acids are present.

Milk: Nature's Complete Fuel

Milk has been used as a muscle-building aid for decades and for good reason. It provides a balanced blend of protein, carbohydrates, and fats, and contains both fast-digesting whey and slow-digesting casein. Drinking milk after a workout has been shown to increase muscle growth, reduce soreness, and support rehydration.

Whole Milk: The highest in calories and fat, whole milk is particularly beneficial for 'hardgainers' who struggle to consume enough calories to gain mass.
Skim Milk: A lower-calorie option that provides the same high-quality protein and carbohydrates, making it suitable for those watching their calorie intake.
Chocolate Milk: Offers an optimal carb-to-protein ratio for post-workout recovery, helping to replenish glycogen stores and aid muscle repair.

Water: The Unsung Hero

Water is the single most important drink for muscle growth and overall health. Muscle tissue is roughly 75% water, and adequate hydration is essential for muscle function and performance. Even mild dehydration can impair strength, reduce endurance, and increase the risk of cramps. When using protein powders, mixing with water is the lowest-calorie option and allows for faster digestion of whey, though it can lack the creamier texture provided by milk.

Strategic Supplements and Enhancements

Beyond basic hydration and protein, certain supplements can enhance muscle-building efforts. The following can be incorporated into your daily drink regimen:

Creatine: Fueling Intense Workouts

One of the most studied and effective supplements for increasing muscle strength and size is creatine. It helps muscles produce energy during high-intensity exercise by increasing phosphocreatine stores, which aids in the regeneration of ATP.

How to Take: Creatine monohydrate is typically mixed with water. During a loading phase (5-7 days), a higher dose of 20 grams per day is recommended, followed by a maintenance dose of 3-5 grams daily.
Hydration is Key: Creatine pulls water into muscle cells, so adequate hydration is critical to prevent cramps and maximize its effects.

Coffee: A Pre- and Post-Workout Boost

Caffeine has been shown to be an effective performance enhancer for both cardio and strength training. It can increase muscular strength, endurance, and power while reducing the perception of effort.

Pre-Workout: Consuming coffee 45-60 minutes before exercise can boost performance.
Post-Workout: A post-workout coffee may help reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Considerations: Caffeine is a diuretic, so it's important to increase water intake to avoid dehydration, and be mindful of its effect on sleep.

Juices for Recovery and Reducing Soreness

For an antioxidant boost, certain fruit juices can support muscle recovery by fighting inflammation and reducing exercise-induced soreness.

Tart Cherry Juice: Rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, studies suggest that tart cherry juice can reduce muscle soreness and accelerate recovery.
Watermelon Juice: Contains L-citrulline, an amino acid that may help reduce post-exercise muscle pain.

Comparison of Muscle-Building Drinks


Drink Type	Primary Benefit	Timing	Calories & Macros	Best For
Water	Hydration & Transport	Throughout the day	0 Calories	General hydration, fastest nutrient absorption
Protein Shake (Whey)	Fast Muscle Repair	Post-workout	Variable (Low with water, High with milk)	Immediate post-workout recovery
Protein Shake (Casein)	Sustained Protein Release	Pre-bed	Variable (Low with water, High with milk)	Overnight muscle fueling
Milk (Cow's)	Complete Protein & Macros	Anytime, Post-workout	High (especially whole milk)	Mass gain, enhanced recovery
Chocolate Milk	Carb & Protein Ratio	Post-workout	High	Rapid glycogen replenishment & repair
Creatine + Water	Strength & Mass Increase	Pre/Post-workout, Consistent	0 (from creatine)	Increasing strength and lean mass
Coffee	Performance & Alertness	Pre-workout	Low (black coffee)	Boosting workout intensity and focus
Tart Cherry Juice	Reduced Soreness & Inflammation	Before & After workout	Moderate (natural sugar)	Mitigating muscle pain and speeding recovery

Creating Your Perfect Muscle-Building Drink Strategy

The best approach isn't to rely on just one drink but to strategically combine them based on your goals and daily routine. Your strategy should revolve around proper hydration, consistent protein intake, and leveraging targeted supplements for performance and recovery.

Morning: Start with a large glass of water to rehydrate. If you train in the morning, a cup of black coffee or a scoop of creatine mixed with water can prepare you for your workout.
Pre-Workout: If you need an energy boost, coffee is a great option. For optimal creatine absorption, take your dose 30-60 minutes before training.
During Workout: Sip plain water or an electrolyte-enhanced drink, especially during long or intense sessions, to prevent dehydration.
Post-Workout: Within an hour of finishing, have a protein shake with whey for fast absorption, or drink milk to get a mix of whey and casein plus carbs. Chocolate milk is a great, classic choice for its ideal carb-to-protein ratio.
Evening: Consider a casein shake or milk before bed to provide a slow, steady supply of amino acids throughout the night for muscle repair.
Recovery Days: Tart cherry juice can help reduce muscle soreness on rest days.

Conclusion

Ultimately, there is no single best drink for building muscle, but rather a strategic combination tailored to your needs. Prioritizing consistent hydration with water is non-negotiable for muscle function and recovery. Integrating high-quality protein sources like milk or whey shakes supports repair and growth, especially around workouts. Using performance-enhancing aids like creatine and coffee, and recovery-boosting juices, can provide a significant advantage. By understanding the role of each beverage, you can craft a liquid nutrition plan that effectively complements your training and dietary goals. For further information on muscle recovery and nutrition, consider sources like the article on Healthline outlining top muscle recovery foods and drinks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mixing protein powder with milk, especially whole or skim milk, is often better for muscle gain because it adds extra calories, protein (both fast-acting whey and slow-acting casein), carbs, and fats to your shake. Water, being calorie-free, is a better option for those focused on weight loss or calorie management.

While consistent protein intake throughout the day is important, many experts recommend drinking a protein shake within an hour or two after a workout. This helps kickstart muscle protein synthesis and aids recovery. For sustained muscle repair, a casein protein shake or milk before bed is beneficial.

You should drink plenty of water when taking creatine to prevent dehydration and maximize its benefits. During the initial loading phase, aiming for 3-4 liters per day is recommended. For the maintenance phase, 2-3 liters daily is typically sufficient, with an extra 8 ounces for each 3-5 gram dose.

No, moderate coffee intake does not negatively affect muscle building and can even be beneficial. Caffeine can enhance exercise performance and increase strength. However, excessive consumption can lead to dehydration or disrupt sleep, which is crucial for recovery, so moderation is key.

Yes, tart cherry juice is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Studies have shown it can reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness, particularly delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

Electrolyte drinks are not strictly necessary for most gym-goers but can be beneficial during intense or prolonged workouts, especially in hot weather, where significant fluid and mineral loss occurs through sweat. For most, plain water is enough, but adding electrolytes can aid in proper rehydration.

One of the best post-workout drinks for immediate recovery is chocolate milk, as it contains an excellent ratio of carbohydrates and protein. This helps replenish muscle glycogen stores and provides protein for repair. A simple whey protein shake mixed with water or milk is also highly effective.