post-workout-carbsMyth-busting time! It’s been probably about 7 years since I last dumped dextrose into my post-workout shake.

Why did I stop? Adding carbohydrates to your Post-Workout (PWO) shake has no impact on fueling muscle growth and can only serve to add needless sugar and calories to your diet.

To state my case very quickly  – PWO carbs:

  • Do NOT increase protein synthesis rates after a workout
  • Do NOT decrease the rate of protein breakdown after a workout
  • STOP you from burning fat after a workout
  • Are NOT needed for the release of insulin, since the insulin released from protein alone is sufficient

do-you-need-post-workout-carbs

Let me define a couple of terms before we go any further:

  1. ‘Protein Synthesis’ refers to the generation or creation of new proteins. You could think of this as the build-up of new muscle.
  2. ‘Muscle Protein Breakdown’ refers to the degradation, breakdown, or loss of protein. We actually create this process when we train, which acts as a stimulus for the body to start building new proteins.
  3. ‘Protein Accretion’ is the difference between protein synthesis and breakdown. Obviously for muscle-building purposes we want high protein synthesis levels and low breakdown levels for maximum protein accretion rates.

 

protein-synthesis

(1) Study shows inclusion of carbohydrate in post-workout shake does not increase protein synthesis.

The following study [1] took place in the Netherlands, the subjects being healthy young men.

The study split the men into 3 groups, each ingesting a different combination of protein & carbohydrates. Therefore the only variable was the level of carbohydrate.

Each group performed resistance training for 60 minutes and was given either protein or a combination of protein and carbohydrate each hour for 6 hours after training. The amount of protein for all the groups was 0.3g per kg of bodyweight. The protein and carbs varied as follows:

  1. Group 1 – Just Protein, no carbs
  2. Group 2 – Protein with 0.15 g per kg of body weight of carbohydrate
  3. Group 3 – Protein with 0.6 g per kg of body weight of carbohydrate

Protein synthesis rates were then measured for 6 hours after training. The results?

  1. The intake of protein after training increases protein synthesis
  2. The addition of carbohydrate (whether in small or large amounts) did not further increase protein synthesis at all.

So adding carbs did nothing for protein synthesis. Next…

 

muscle-breakdown

(2) Another recent study [2] showed that the addition of carbs to a post-workout shake did not change levels of protein accretion at all. A criticism some may have of the above study is that while carbohydate may not help in increasing muscle protein synthesis rates, it may help with decreasing muscle breakdown rates. The following study showed that this is not the case.

whey-protein9 young men trained and immediately afterwards consumed either:

  1. 25g protein alone
  2. 25g protein with 50g simple carbs

As with the above study, the addition of carbs did not further increase protein synthesis rates. Additionally, it was shown that they did nothing to decrease the rate of muscle breakdown at all. Protein accretion was the same with or without carbohydrate.

 

insulin

(3) What About Insulin?

Insulin is beneficial in the post-workout period. It helps shuttle the amino acids from our protein into our muscles for repair and growth. The popular thinking is that carbohydrate is required to maximally stimulate insulin release to get this job done. However, this just isn’t true.

Protein alone will stimulate the release of all the insulin you need. A fast-digesting protein such as whey causes a spike in insulin.

Insulin release from carbs, protein, and fat.

Insulin release from carbs, protein, and fat.

The ingestion of extra carbs (even in high amounts) will increase the release of insulin, but this extra amount just isn’t required.

Because the body needs amino acids for growth, and you also get all the insulin you need from protein alone, there is just no good reason to be dumping all that sugar and calories into your blood stream after a workout.

 

burning-fat

(4) Impact of Post-Workout Carbs on Fat-Oxidation

In order to keep fat-oxidation (using fat for energy) at maximum levels, it would make sense to leave the carbs out of your post-workout shake. In doing so you encourage the body to tap into its stored fat.

We want to our post-workout shake to be as fat-free as possible because fat will slow the absorption of protein into the bloodstream. So whey protein in water or low-fat milk with zero carbs is the way to go for maximizing fat oxidation in the post-workout period.

The exclusion of post-workout carbs was one of the most beneficial moves I have made.

It contributes to me being able to stay lean all-year round (see my full strategy in this post). It also leaves 200-300 calories per day that I can enjoy in food form instead of wasting them on unhealthy sugar-water.

 

Having this needless sugar is even worse for people who are cutting. You stop the fat burning process and rob yourself of 200-300 Calories you could have had in solid food form, which would have helped you feel full.

justipadIf you want to cut fat fast – I call it “aggressive fat loss“, check out my program Total Six Pack Abs. You may say I’m biased, but I believe it’s the best, most effective cutting strategy on the planet. It’s helped men and women of all ages get ripped and even win competitions. See here for more.

And don’t worry, you’ll keep on weight training and gaining in the gym with T.S.P.A. Plus the plan comes with a no-quibble 8-week money-back guarantee for you to try it out at absolutely no financial risk on your part.

 

THTcover150So guys…ditch the PWO sugar, enjoy your whey and stay lean. Couple it all with THT training – it builds muscle fast. Recently, reader Chris Marriott said on facebook that he has gained 26lbs / 12kg with FREE THT training. Download the workout below…

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Stay Motivated!

Mark McManus

References: [1] Coingestion of carbohydrate with protein does not further augment postexercise muscle protein synthesis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Sep;293(3):E833-42. Epub 2007 Jul 3.

[2] Carbohydrate does not augment exercise-induced protein accretion versus protein alone. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 Jul;43(7):1154-61. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31820751cb.

You'll love your fast gains on THT!

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You'll love your fast gains on THT!

Cool! Click here to take you to the download page. (or check your email for the download link)