[Still An Athlete]

So after looking back over Caleb's recent topic that explained the story of his calorie free Sobe and the extra sugars from Vitamin Water of his lifting partner and how I would take in the Vitamin Water powt wkot due to the sugars, I started to look deeper into the carbohydrate intake we as bodybuilders are ingesting in our post workout meal and how effectve they really are.

Yes, everybody knows that protein is the building block of muscles, but what most don't realize is that proteins ride co-pilot in our post workout shakes to carbohydrates. This is due to cabohydrates being needed by the body to more effectively utilize the protein. For those who don't quite understand...

Foods higher is sugar or high in carbohydrates cause higher blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels lead to the release high amounts of the hormone insulin from the pancreas. When this high sugar food is eaten throughout the day in abundance it leads to insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes. If we pick and choose when we want to utilize the flood of insulin it can be our ally, if we let open the flood gates all day, it can defiantly be our enemy.

So now you know that carb ingestion causes higher blood sugar levels and in turn insulin release, but why does that matter? It matters because insulin is a very powerful hormone that binds to muscle cells and helps force glucose into the muscle cells. This allows the muscles to replenish and repair at a higher rate of speed due to the availability of the nutrients. The intake of carbs also keeps the body out of ketosis and spares protein from being used as a fuel instead of a building block for you muscle. Low carb dieter should still eat no less than 75 carbs per day to keep the body out of ketosis.

But what carbohydrates should we take in during this valuable window that is opened for aproximately 45 minutes post workout? Many know the answer, but only to an extent. Simple Sugars.

But what does this mean exactly? Fruit? Table Sugar? Cookies? Honey? The list is endless. But what should we be combining with our protein powder to most effectively feed our glycogen depleted, starving muscles and at the fastest possible rate of digestion?

There are two main types of simple sugars and each type has two different forms.
A. Monosaccharide - single sugar molecule.
1. Fructose - Fruit sugar. Does not digest quickly and does not raise insulin levels to a great degree. So this means that fruit sources are not a good source of carbs for the post-workout.
2. Dextrose – Corn sugar. Also called glucose and is a very popular post-workout carb. Highest of the sugar carbs on the glycemic index which rates affect on blood sugar. The number one pick of this group of the four. Absorbed through gut nearly immediately.

B. Disaccharide - double sugar molecule.
1. Lactose – This is milk sugar and it also doesn’t increase the insulin levels to a great degree. It is also a larger molecule and has to be broken apart.
2. Sucrose – Is no other than common table sugar made up of a molecule of glucose (dextrose) and a molecule of fructose. Also not the greatest choice for post workout nutrition due to the paired molecules.

Complex carbs are a bodybuilder’s friend the rest of the day, but post-workout they are worthless in whole food form. The fiber from the complex carbs become a hindrance due to its slow absorption rate. What makes the complex carbs good for you throughout the day (sustained energy release) is what makes them bad for you after a workout.

Maltodextrin is actually a complex carbohydrate made from corn, rice or potato starch. Its molecular chain is shorter than other complex carbs due to processing. It has loosely bonded glucose molecules and like dextrose, maltodextrin is absorbed directly through the gut. This allows it to raise blood sugar and insulin levels just as much as dextrose does.

Waxy maize is made from corn starch and is absorbed very quickly by the body. The majority of carbs are passed to the intestinal tract and then broken down for digestion where as waxy maize passes through the gastric lining with no need for gastric emptying other carbs require. If there is a hands down winner in post-workout carb use, Waxy Maize takes the prize.

With all these choices I would stay with dextrose, maltodextrin, or the new comer waxy maize in my opinion. You could play around see what is best for you. A cocktail of each could be effective if done correctly.

And while I am on a role, how much should I take in?

This answer will vary from person to person. But in any situation there is a rule of thumb to be followed.... well two thumbs. Traditionally, a solid ratio to follow would be the old school 2:1 grams of carbs to protein. However, ACSM has recently updated this by increasing the ratio to 3:1. They also reccomended choclate milk as the post workout meal of choice. As we all know cassein protein as a post workout choice will never overcome whey protein (concentrate, isoltae, or hydrolized), and also, as mentioned above, lactose does not raise insulin and is a double dond which takes loger to break down. So the ratio you choose to follow is based soley on how you react to experimenting.

Back to what I was saying, how much should we intake?

In my OPINION one should take in 45% of their lean body mass when bulking and 20% if cutting.

Therefore, if one with 200 lbs. of lean mass is bulking they should take in 90g of carbs and 40g if cutting.

[Caleb56]

good reading,I love reading about nutrition.