Study: No Carbs should be in Post Workout Shake

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by Baron, May 21, 2018.

  1. Baron

    Baron ET Founder

    Bodybuilders, fitness fanatics and other strength athletes who drink shakes after their workouts should only put whey protein in them, and not add carbohydrates. Adding fast carbohydrates to whey has no positive effects on muscles, but does delay the decrease in fat mass.

    Study
    The researchers, who work at the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland, published the results of a twelve-week study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, in which three groups of twenty-four men participated.

    The men had only been training for a month with weights. They all had approximately the same diet and used an identical training scheme.

    Soon after each training session, the men drank a post-workout shake. One group drank a shake containing 35 g of the fast carbohydrate maltodextrin [CHO], the second group a shake containing 38 g whey concentrate [equivalent to 30 g whey protein] [Protein], and the third group a shake containing 35 g maltodextrin and 38 g whey concentrate [Protein + CHO].

    At the start and end of the twelve weeks, the researchers measured the body composition and strength of the subjects.

    Results
    All subjects built up more lean body mass [FFM] [in other words muscle mass]. But the increase was greatest in the subjects who only drank whey in the shake.



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    The subjects who had been given only carbohydrates lost no body fat [FM]; the subjects that had been given whey did lose body fat. The decrease in fat mass was most in the subjects who had been given whey only.

    All subjects did gain strength. Their MVC and 1RM increased. There were no statistically significant differences for these between the groups.

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    Conclusion
    The researchers are understated in their conclusions. "This first long-term study supports the acute protein balance studies showing that adding carbohydrates to postexercise protein ingestion may not have a large effect on the resistance training adaptations", they wrote in the last paragraphs of their publication.

    "Whey proteins, however, increased abdominal fat loss and relative fat-free mass adaptations in response to resistance training when compared to fast-acting carbohydrates."

    "Therefore, if the main goal is to maximize fat loss responses to resistance training especially from the abdominal area without compromising increases in muscle hypertrophy, whey protein instead of carbohydrates can be recommended for the postexercise nutrition."

    Source:
    J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015 Dec 16;12:48.
     
  2. andgr

    andgr

    Totally agree! Even though it seems be a benefit for our body, it only harms. I personally add only protein power in my drink and drink it only after half an hour after training
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 31, 2018
  3. Doing Keto now I do a protein shake after workouts that is really low net carb.

    There are a lot of studies that show the blood sugar spike you can get from a carb drink which activates insulin can deactivate fat burning and swith to storage. Now the argument is that post workout carbs taken in will be shuttled to the muscles by insulin to replace glycogen but the effect of insulin lingers far longer from what I have read. That is the part that bothers me since insulin spikes, even post workout with glucose being shuttled into muscles, can cause other domino effects in the body that might counter the post workout calorie burn you get from a good resistance workout.
     
  4. speedo

    speedo

    Make sure you check the ingredients on your "protein powder". A lot of them are loaded with sugars and fats.
     
  5. True, even worse are protein bars with 40 grams of carbs mostly from sugar and sugar alcohols. Insulin spike and runny stool :)
     
  6. speedo

    speedo

    Yep...
     
  7. Interesting study. It got me thinking about the subject. Although I had long ago read that it was "necessary" to replenish depleted glycogen stores after a workout and take some protein as well within a fairly narrow time window, I didn't act on this suggestion until 5 or so years ago. Since then, I've been having a banana and a homemade milk/protein shake immediately post workout. I have not really noticed any difference one way or the other in recovery or whatever.

    After reading the study results you posted, I did a bit of a search and came across this article, which references the above study as well as a few others:

    https://muscleevo.net/carbs-after-workout/

    Study results can be somewhat mixed, but the bottom line no one can dispute is the calories-in-calories-out argument.

    And so, I won't be taking a banana to the gym anymore. But when I run out of my current container of whey protein, I probably won't replace it with another one. I'll probably just have some skim milk with unsweetened baking cocoa and a teaspoon or two of ground flax seed.

    Thanks for the heads-up. It was also a fitness thread you started a number of years ago that got me rethinking the need for volume in resistance training. So thanks for that wake-up call, too.
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2018
  8. Many of then them are loaded with heavy elements.

    Just eat a healthy diet, all this won't add iota to your bicep.

    Why do you care anyway another 1/8 of an inch either way, you aren't in competition.
     
  9. speedo

    speedo

    I don't, as a runner and martial artist, bulk is not a goal. My weight work is just part of overall conditioning...was just commenting on these kinds of products.
     
  10. Say what? :wtf:
    True. But when it reaches 1/4 inch, it has my attention. :D
     
    #10     Jun 5, 2018