Hey BPA, quick little inquiry I could use some advice on:
I have a large tub of Karbolyn that I'd like to maximize but upon further examination I'm not certain whether I'd see the greatest benefit in hypertrophy from taking a serving intra workout, soon after or both.
I'm also taking synthagen 5 pre, intra and post in addition to KA and TQ.
peri-workout carbs
https://www.jissn.com/content/10/1/5 is a good review article by Alan Aragon. To sum it all up there is little scientific evidence to support carbs as part of peri-workout doing anything for your gains.
That being said I luv my fast carbs (carbosyn for me) during my feast workouts. But I'm in the gym for 2.5hrs and they're mostly there to help me keep the intensity up for the whole thing.
That being said I luv my fast carbs (carbosyn for me) during my feast workouts. But I'm in the gym for 2.5hrs and they're mostly there to help me keep the intensity up for the whole thing.
Highly dependent upon somatype..
Ectomorphs typically do better with carbs intra-workout, meso's and endo's not so much. I do think there's a threshold and it's different for each individual, which is what makes it tricky...
Personally, when I drop carbs too low my muscle VANISHES...
. Timed correctly and in the right amount, it comes on FAST... 
Ectomorphs typically do better with carbs intra-workout, meso's and endo's not so much. I do think there's a threshold and it's different for each individual, which is what makes it tricky...
Personally, when I drop carbs too low my muscle VANISHES...
. Timed correctly and in the right amount, it comes on FAST... Thanks for the replies, everyone. That sports science article was excellent but for better or for worse, raised more questions and uncertainties regarding nutrient timing.
It would seem that total macro intake throughout the course of the day is more important that specific bolus doses but depending on the study design there could be some benefit to buffering the workout with protein at the very least.
Hard to know what's best without experimentation I guess. I've been under the impression that carbs around the workout blunt cortisol and will more than likely be stored as muscle and liver glycogen, sparing your amino acids to build muscle like you want them to. But the literature seems inconclusive.
I'm quite ectomorphic and didn't do well with low carb paleo. Low carb or keto just seem incompatible with hypertrophy goals. ~3400 cals seems to be maintenance for me but I haven't figured out an ideal macro ratio yet. Bodybuilding dogma seems to favor high carb, moderate protein, low fat but I'm not sure that's ideal.
It would seem that total macro intake throughout the course of the day is more important that specific bolus doses but depending on the study design there could be some benefit to buffering the workout with protein at the very least.
Hard to know what's best without experimentation I guess. I've been under the impression that carbs around the workout blunt cortisol and will more than likely be stored as muscle and liver glycogen, sparing your amino acids to build muscle like you want them to. But the literature seems inconclusive.
I'm quite ectomorphic and didn't do well with low carb paleo. Low carb or keto just seem incompatible with hypertrophy goals. ~3400 cals seems to be maintenance for me but I haven't figured out an ideal macro ratio yet. Bodybuilding dogma seems to favor high carb, moderate protein, low fat but I'm not sure that's ideal.
my 0.02 euro on this.WinskiG wrote:Thanks for the replies, everyone. That sports science article was excellent but for better or for worse, raised more questions and uncertainties regarding nutrient timing.
It would seem that total macro intake throughout the course of the day is more important that specific bolus doses but depending on the study design there could be some benefit to buffering the workout with protein at the very least.
Hard to know what's best without experimentation I guess. I've been under the impression that carbs around the workout blunt cortisol and will more than likely be stored as muscle and liver glycogen, sparing your amino acids to build muscle like you want them to. But the literature seems inconclusive.
I'm quite ectomorphic and didn't do well with low carb paleo. Low carb or keto just seem incompatible with hypertrophy goals. ~3400 cals seems to be maintenance for me but I haven't figured out an ideal macro ratio yet. Bodybuilding dogma seems to favor high carb, moderate protein, low fat but I'm not sure that's ideal.
Do you really wish to blunt training induced cortisol though? If anything the sciences show that is what gets you growing, while the training induced T and GH boosts doesn't do anything.
If optimal recovery is your goal then I'd hit the carbs post workout for sure. It does good for some of your immune cells that tend to be very involved in recovery.
And yeah. Strength training will trick your muscle cells to get their GLUT4 to reach the surface. These are the glycogen transporters that put muscle from the blood into the cell.. normally they're somewhat hidden away and just appear at select times to regulate blood sugars... but strength training gets those babies awake so you'll get higher percent of the glucose into the muscle cells than into say fat cells. Does it matter though? My impression is that it does matter if you're hitting the same muscle groups within say 12 hrs time. Otoh if you're hitting the gym again in 2 days or something and you're eating normally then the muscle glycogen stores will get filled up in due time regardless.
I think the whole amino sparing thing is not the way it all really happens. protein, triglycerides, and sugars (sometimes as lactate) are always being shipped from cells to the liver and from the liver to cells. Worrying about sparing something at discrete instances seems a lot of work for veeeery little benefit. All over balance seems to be the thing to go with. And the post workout protein, of course.
For what it is worth I have tried a loooow carb BP3 run and it was the worst run of them all in my journal. I like the ~50-80g fat and high carb personally.
It all comes down to experimenting and finding your best fit though.
Great reply, wtmarcus, appreciate you taking the time mate.
You brought forward some important insights that I think I needed to hear. I'm one of those people that over analyze every aspect of my training and diet and get easily confused by conflicting theories.
I guess just not seeing dramatic physique progress for years has left me questioning what is best--which unfortunately seems to be highly individualized.
My current 'lean bulk' attempt has only seemed to bring about a higher body fat % but hopefully my upcoming bp run will bring about some dormant growth potential within my muscles.
You brought forward some important insights that I think I needed to hear. I'm one of those people that over analyze every aspect of my training and diet and get easily confused by conflicting theories.
I guess just not seeing dramatic physique progress for years has left me questioning what is best--which unfortunately seems to be highly individualized.
My current 'lean bulk' attempt has only seemed to bring about a higher body fat % but hopefully my upcoming bp run will bring about some dormant growth potential within my muscles.