Insulin question

[mavstud3]

I know alot about nutrition and dieting but this question has been nagging me.

I know that for cutting you want to limit your sugar intake (I even did PWO) but for gaining lean mass would you also want to limit sugar intake? I always do but now that I am trying to gain a little more mass I have been eating WW slice of bread with Honey and banana postworkout along with egg whites and maybe a small sweet potato...thoughts?

In other words....can you gain lean mass without taking advantage of the GH released by insulin?

Emma-Leigh possibly?

[in10city]

I know alot about nutrition and dieting but this question has been nagging me.

I know that for cutting you want to limit your sugar intake (I even did PWO) but for gaining lean mass would you also want to limit sugar intake? I always do but now that I am trying to gain a little more mass I have been eating WW slice of bread with Honey and banana postworkout along with egg whites and maybe a small sweet potato...thoughts?

In other words....can you gain lean mass without taking advantage of the GH released by insulin?

Emma-Leigh possibly?
Insuin doesn't release GH. Insulin spiking nor GH spiking are primary factors in hypertrophy.

[kanderson17]

Yes, I would have some high glycemic carbs like dextrose still. Your cortisol is on the rise after around 45 min of exercise, so this insulin spike will help blunt cortisol by giving your body the nutrients it needs. The carbs will be used by your body and not stored as fat.

[kanderson17]

If I am correct, I believe insulin actually blunts gh release.

[in10city]

Yes, I would have some high glycemic carbs like dextrose still. Your cortisol is on the rise after around 45 min of exercise, so this insulin spike will help blunt cortisol by giving your body the nutrients it needs. The carbs will be used by your body and not stored as fat.
It only takes an insulin concentration of at most 30 mU/l to inhibit muscle protein breakdown. And surprise surprise, just your whey protein drink can get there. High glycemic carbs are not necessary.

[kanderson17]

It only takes an insulin concentration of at most 30 mU/l to inhibit muscle protein breakdown. And surprise surprise, just your whey protein drink can get there. High glycemic carbs are not necessary.

Your body is in need of glucose more than protein after a workout. The insulin spike will help shuttle glucose to the muscles and start glycogen storage. It is even possible consuming protein without carbs after a workout, will result in gluconeogenesis of some of the amino acids from the protein consumed

[RealMenDeadLift]

Your body is in need of glucose more than protein after a workout. The insulin spike will help shuttle glucose to the muscles and start glycogen storage. It is even possible consuming protein without carbs after a workout, will result in gluconeogenesis of some of the amino acids from the protein consumed

Not even an intense lifting session will come close to depleting glycogen stores, it simply isn't necessary.

[in10city]

Your body is in need of glucose more than protein after a workout. The insulin spike will help shuttle glucose to the muscles and start glycogen storage. It is even possible consuming protein without carbs after a workout, will result in gluconeogenesis of some of the amino acids from the protein consumed
Do you realize that up to the first 60 minutes of glycogenesis is insulin INDEPENDANT? GLUT4 translocation from exercise? No one is saying carbs are of no use. High GI carbs are not needed.

[kanderson17]

Do you realize that up to the first 60 minutes of glycogenesis is insulin INDEPENDANT? GLUT4 translocation from exercise? No one is saying carbs are of no use. High GI carbs are not needed.

I am just stating what my professor told me. She as an RD and was a sports nutritionist at the University of oregon for 8 years. Not saying your wrong about high glycemic carbs, either I just think you should still eat carbs after your workout

[RealMenDeadLift]

I am just stating what my professor told me. She as an RD and was a sports nutritionist at the University of oregon for 8 years. Not saying your wrong about high glycemic carbs, either I just think you should still eat carbs after your workout

Yeah sure, eat carbs postworkout, but there is no need to drink high GI carbs, they don't provide any superior benefit unless you are an endurance athlete performing again the same day.

[kanderson17]

Yeah sure, eat carbs postworkout, but there is no need to drink high GI carbs, they don't provide any superior benefit unless you are an endurance athlete performing again the same day.

Which I just said in my last post, I am not saying either you or in10city are wrong

[AbAbber2k]

I just think you should still eat carbs after your workout

For the purposes of hypertrophy and body composition it isn't necessary. In fact, in that same vein of discussion, immediate PWO protein consumption isn't necessary either. Total daily protein intake is far far FAR more important than hitting the mythical PWO nutrition window.

[kanderson17]

For the purposes of hypertrophy and body composition it isn't necessary. In fact, in that same vein of discussion, immediate PWO protein consumption isn't necessary either. Total daily protein intake is far far FAR more important than hitting the mythical PWO nutrition window.

How much protein do you think one needs?

[mavstud3]

For the purposes of hypertrophy and body composition it isn't necessary. In fact, in that same vein of discussion, immediate PWO protein consumption isn't necessary either. Total daily protein intake is far far FAR more important than hitting the mythical PWO nutrition window.

Good point....but I am not on a keto diet so I do want to consume carbs...and being smart about when and what kind would be wise?

So if I AM going to consume carbs I think I should consume then upon wake and PWO (maybe Preworkout IF I need more cals)

I know Aragon said this but isnt this a good way to look at it?

[kanderson17]

Good point....but I am not on a keto diet so I do want to consume carbs...and being smart about when and what kind would be wise?

So if I AM going to consume carbs I think I should consume then upon wake and PWO (maybe Preworkout IF I need more cals)

I know Aragon said this but isnt this a good way to look at it?


Eat carbs throughout the day. It is our main source of energy. Carbs do not make you fat. I did do what you are saying once, and it is not the best way to put on lean mass. Protein intake of 1.6-1.7 grams per kilogram of bodyweight is sufficient. This is pretty close to 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight. Fat should be 20-35% percent of your diet and carbs should be 45-65%.

[KLMARB]

I suggest you read Berardi's "The Science of Nutrient Timing" found in the archives. It may be what you're looking for...

[Iohc]

Take advantage of the insulin response.

This is carb cycling in a nutshell.


The post-workout shake of simple sugar/bcaas/leucine/creatine/etc... should be the last thing to go.

[bbejj123]

chronic lifting can actually create adaptations in the body where the body transports glucose into the muscle without insulin as the main carrier, also chronic endurance training also can cause adaptations that allow cortisol levels to stay suppressed for an hour or more, but this is also highly intensity dependent.

however this being said, why wouldn't you take advantage of all the tools at your disposal.
don't put your faith all into one but use them all.

[furglasses]

From my understanding, high inuslin blood levels encourages the release if IGF1(GRowth factor 1). this is the reason this generation of kids are maturing faster and younger(****ty american diet has insulin always spiked, thus the over use of igf1) and look older. I researched maltodextrin and dextrose postwork out and this is the reason its in post workout supplements and also to replenish glycogen stores in the muscle so your body doesnt use protein from muscles for energy. Im on a clean bulk "all the time", I just eat fruit, meat, and natural fats. if I want to cut alil I eat the same just less. If I want to mass up.. I eat the same just more.. It was a good question Im going to follow thread, hopfully learn somthing..rep

[Opies]

Eat carbs throughout the day. It is our main source of energy. Carbs do not make you fat. I did do what you are saying once, and it is not the best way to put on lean mass. Protein intake of 1.6-1.7 grams per kilogram of bodyweight is sufficient. This is pretty close to 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight. Fat should be 20-35% percent of your diet and carbs should be 45-65%.

carbs SHOULD be 45-65% of your diet? Says who? A bunch of specialists that picked an arbitrary number? There is no benefit to eating an excess of carbs, especially compared to other macros

[quartz75]

Yeah sure, eat carbs postworkout, but there is no need to drink high GI carbs, they don't provide any superior benefit unless you are an endurance athlete performing again the same day.

just chipping in,

definition of drinking hi gi liquid carbs, is this eg 5g dextrose+ whey scoop ?

ive read that its a good combination to spike insulin to shuttle the fast protein ?

[justin36253]

to the above poster, eating 45-65% of ur calories as carbs is not "excess." It is very popular in today's world for carbs to be the enemy. As an athlete, LIFTERS INCLUDED, carbs are the main source of energy and should be the primary nutrient. High gi carbs are fine pre and post workout as the majority of them contain little fiber which coudl cause GI distress which would most likely inhibit performance in the training/competition. Carbs, specifically in bodybuilding literature, have been given a bad name. However, what do we do in bodybuilding/powerlifting/lifting/most things in general? rely on carbs for energy. Do you aerobically lift weights? Are you in there lifting a tiny weight for 2 hours hoping to use higher proportions of fat as fuel to burn body fat? Of course not. You rely HEAVILY on creatine phosphate and glycogen. However, when the average "bodybuilder" is asked of their diet it is always low carb. How on earth are you going to perform at your best if you are constantly limiting your limiting potential? study after study after study has shown that the best "supplement" you can take is enhanced carbohydrate intake. this will not instantly make you fat. The insulin won't instantly shuttle every fatty acid into your adipose tissue. There are so many complex systems that are oversimplified by insulin====> fat.

[liammccarthy]

Insulin doesn't = fat but raised insulin levels does = anti-catabolic (or anti-fat loss).

The reason people limit their carb intake is because they are looking to lose fat/weight. Fat and protein are essential nutrients and your body has a minimum amount that it needs to sustain lean mass efficiently. Carbohydrates are not necessary but are an excellent source of quickly accessible enrgy that we can use to fill in the gaps to reach our daily calorie goals. If your daily calories are almost filled by your minimum protein and fat requirements, then carbs will be low.

[justin36253]

That's very true, but most people VASTLY overestimate how much protein they need. They then eat too much and inefficiently use it for energy that could be better spent on non nitrogenous forms of clean burning energy, such as carbohydrates.

[BritishFighter]

Better to consume too much protein than too many carbs.