Poor post workout nutrition can cause a wide array of negative effects on an athlete. Muscle soreness that last for days as well as fatigue. Poor performance on and off the field is also a result of poor post workout nutrition. Small gains in lean body mass even with great training programs, is also an effect.
ER.. yes. My question was dependant on the wrongful assumption that SIMPLE sugars are needed PWO for resistance/strength sessions: they are NOT.
So what exactly happens to the human body during a resistance training workout? After an intense workout the human body is in a large energy demand. The bodies first source of energy is ATP or Adenosine Tri Phosphate. As one trains the ATP stores are lowered and the body switches to glycogen and glucose as its primary source of energy. Glycogen is the main source for moderate to high intensity exercise.
Skelletal muscle can only store about 3 seconds worth of ATP, then the KREBS cycle kicks in to create more ATP in an ongoing effort via either Aerobic or Anaerobic pathways, THAT is what the glycogen is there for.... and that is for ANY exercise, Low, Moderate or High.
The longer duration of exercise the more glycogen that is essentially burned. In order for an athlete to be able to expand their muscular endurance one must enhance their ability to store carbohydrates in their muscles (also known as glycogen). After a workout muscle glycogen stores are depleted, and muscle proteins have began to break down. That leaves the body in a shortage for both of these vital nutrients. As the body burns glycogen and glucose for energy, the blood sugar levels start to drop.
An excellent argument for GLYCOGEN replenishment... but says nothing about supposed 'protein sysnthesis window'....
That then causes the insulin levels to drop severely. The drop in insulin then in turn causes a rise in the catabolic hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a nasty little hormone that turns muscle proteins into glucose. That is the way your body produces energy when all other sources have been depleted. To make up for the depletion, the human body starts a process known as gluconeogenesis. This is how the body produces glucose from amino acids. This puts the body under a lot of stress and in need of many things.
Gluconeogenesis need NEVER occur for the strength athlete unless they are unwisely overtraining a given muscle group past its ablitity to store glycogen. Intensity is what breeds strength, muscular hypertrophy and stamina, NOT quantity... if quantity is kept in check: no gluconeogenisis and thereby not catabolism need occur.
For an athlete to get the most of their workout they must change the deficits in protein and glycogen to surpluses soon after a workout. This is a very time sensitive for the body. The sooner they are replenished the better.
For Endurance efforts lasting past the point of glycogen storage capacity expenditure limits: YES. For proper strength traning efforts, only a partial yes: there is no need to haul ass to replenish glycogen UNLESS ITS ALL USED UP and there is no solid evidence that i have had the opportunity to read that suggests that the myth of the IMMEDIATE protein window is a reality. You have HOURS to ingest the protein you need PWO, NOT 20 minutes.
Right after an intense workout the restorative process known as biochemical supercompensation occurs. Protein synthesis will be impeded if the supply of energy and proteins is too little or too slow. By ingesting the right amount of carbohydrates post workout the body will increase production of growth hormone as well as insulin-growth factor. That will also put a stop to gluconeogenesis, helping he body return to a positive nitrogen balance.
Again, only in efforts that require super-compensation for depleted glycogen: train smarter, not harder, and for the strength/resistance athlete this kind of super-compensation is not needed after Progressive Resistance/SubMaximal Effort bouts with iron. For endurance athletes under the stresses of prolonged activity of more than 1.5-2 hours, YES, you correct, but more for glycogen store replenishment than for protein needs by a long shot.
What is the best way to turn the body back into an anabolic state? Suppressing cortisol as soon as possible will. For an athlete wanting to gain or maintain lean muscle mass, replenish glycogen levels, or increase anabolic hormones suppressing coritsol is a must. The fastest way to suppress cortisol is from the insulin spike cause only by a high glycemic carbohydrate. The faster the spike the faster proteins and carbohydrates help recover. The faster the absorption of these macronutrients the better.
er... i am gonna have to say that, although anecdotally true, is not the SMARTEST way to suppress cortisol overload: preventing it is better, consume appropriate PRE workout nutrition, hydration and antioxidant supplementation has shown to reduce cortisol release in a most significant way.
Carbohydrates are a source of fuel for the human body. Carbohydrates can be classified as simple sugars (monosaccharides), strands of two to ten simple sugars (oligosaccharides), and large polymers or glucose and other sugars (polysaccharides). After a workout is important to only consume simple sugars, it is in that time that the body is in a hypoglycemic state. Insulin along with blood sugar have dropped. High glycemic carbohydrates will give the body an instantaneous rise of blood glucose levels.
Yes. SO? I am proposing that is not all that important, and have yet to see serious paper to prove me wrong. I, for one, do not WANT instantaneous rise in blood glucose levels, i want sustained and sustainable slow absorbtion rate compensation even while under extreme effort: the osmotic absorbtion of simple sugars is TERRIBLE! you need to consume three to five times more water to get them to digest properly as compared with long chain sugars, risking, among other things, serious gastrointestinal distress, stomach cramps, etc.
That in turn will force an immediate increase in insulin production. The now higher concentration of glucose in the blood will push the glucose and amino acids into the muscle cell much faster. This will also cause secretion of growth hormone. theoretical, at best.An increase in insulin also causes vasodilation or opening of the vessels. Therefore, more nutrients along with blood can be carried to the cells.
It is very important to stick with high glycemic carbohydrates after a workout. They absorb faster and spike insulin very quick. The faster glucose hits the bloodstream, the less protein breakdown and more storing of glycogen. Fat is one macronutrient that is not welcomed in the post workout period. Fat slows digestion severely. This is because metabolically the human body has to go through more processes to break down fat. Fructose is also a no when it comes to post workout nutrition.
This is because it replenishes liver glycogen levels instead of muscle glycogen, as well as its usually lower glycemic index. It is also important that this high glycemic carbohydrate be consumed in liquid form. That is because liquid is more quickly digested as well as absorbed.
The spike in insulin is the devil when it comes to Spillover and packing those extra sugars and WAY to quickly assimilated proteins into fat storage. Do you, or does ANYONE, know what their PRECISE post exertion glycogen and protein needs are? How much can YOUR body assimilate in the rush of nutrient hypercompensation? How much of that protein and sugar is being spilled over? I maintain, and will do so until i see otherwise, that slow digestion of LOW quality proteins and long chain sugars is the answer to PWO nutrition, not cramming those Macronutrients down your bodies metabolic throat, the window for replensiment is a LOT longer for us than for endurance atheletes and we should let the body use what it needs as it becomes available rather than hammer it with the possiblity of spillover.
All sugars are in 'liquid form' the moment they hit liquid. Period. That includes gastric fluids.
The macronutrient protein is very vital post workout. It is the building blocks of the human body. Protein ingestion, combined with high glycemic carbohydrates is the
best way to reach the state of anabolism. It is also important that this high glycemic carbohydrate be consumed in liquid form. That is because liquid is more quickly digested as well as absorbed. The best form of protein post workout would have to be hydrolyzed whey. It usually will absorb within twenty minutes.
Thats Why, hope that helps
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