It's All
In The Timing: Pre & Post Workout Nutrition
(The
latest on Pre Workout Nutrition and Post Workout Nutrition)
By Will Brink. (Author of Muscle Building Nutrition
http://musclebuildingnutrition.com - a
complete guide bodybuilding supplements and eating to gain lean muscle, and Diet
Supplements Revealed http://aboutsupplements.com
- a review of diet supplements and guide to eating for maximum fat loss.) See
FREE offer at the bottom of the page.
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Pre
Workout Nutrition and Post Workout Nutrition
Most people are aware that nutrient timing
is as important as nutrient composition. In other words, it’s not just
what you eat, but when you eat it that gives optimal results. As the man
says, “Timing is everything.” Consuming the right foods at the right
time can have positive effects on body composition: which means more
muscle and less body fat.
Health-conscious people are told to avoid
simple carbohydrates, and for good reasons. It’s not true all the time
and in every situation, however. Following a heavy workout, there is a
metabolic “window” - so to speak - where the body preferentially
shuttles glucose into the liver and muscles to replace lost glycogen via
both insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent transport mechanisms.
Translated, this means your body will shuttle carbs and protein into the
tissues you want (muscle) instead of storing them as fat after a workout.
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To carry the analogy further, the metabolic
window doesn’t stay open indefinitely, so you need to take advantage of the
opportunity while it lasts.
A number of studies have found that a
post-workout drink containing simple, high-GI carbs and protein increases
protein synthesis dramatically. The two work synergistically to create an
anabolic environment that’s superior to either nutrient alone. In addition,
some recent work suggests that a pre-workout drink may be superior to a
post-workout drink, and consuming both may be best of all!
Research looking at the issue has gotten a great
deal of attention in the sports nutrition world. One particularly interesting
study, “Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response
of muscle to resistance exercise.” (Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2001
Aug;281(2):E197-206), compared the anabolic responses to a carbohydrate and
amino acid supplement taken either before or after resistance exercise. It’s
counterintuitive to think taking in these nutrients before the workout is
superior to post-workout, but according to this small study:
“…results indicate that the response of net
muscle protein synthesis to consumption of an EAC solution [carb/amino acid
drink] immediately before resistance exercise is greater than that when the
solution is consumed after exercise, primarily because of an increase in muscle
protein synthesis...”
Since this study was published, several
researchers have proposed that providing amino acids/protein and carbs both
before and after a resistance workout represents the best of both worlds. This
is the premise of the book “Nutrient Timing” by John Ivy and Robert Portman.
They present compelling evidence that the right mixture of nutrients, taken at
key points in the muscle growth cycle, will optimize improvements in muscle
growth, strength, and power, as well as enhance recovery from exercise.
Overall, there’s a solid body of scientific
evidence to support using a blend of fast-acting carbs and amino acids/protein
for both pre- and post-workout nutrition. It’s definitely a “hot” topic
among sports researchers. It’s also a topic that seems to create endless
speculation and conversation with non-scientists looking to get the most of
their time in the gym. Everyone wants to hear the latest word, it seems.
So what’s the latest word?
The place to discover cutting edge research on a
topic is to attend conferences where researchers present their most recent
findings. This is a much faster way of getting current info than reading
scientific journals, as it can take many months (even years!) to publish the
work researchers submit for review and publication.
Each year, I attend various scientific
conferences that apply to my interests, research, and business. This year I
attended the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) conference in Las
Vegas. The ISSN is a relatively new organization and this was their third
conference to date.*
A session on the role of nutrition in exercise
and recovery was particularly interesting. One standout study**, “Effects of
protein and carbohydrate on anabolic responses to resistance training” looked
at the effects of carbs, creatine, and whey - taken alone and in different
combinations - on LBM and/or strength. The conclusion was that the combination
of all three (whey, carbs, and creatine) was the most effective and that there
appeared to be a true synergism between these nutrients. This study also
confirmed that these nutrients, taken both before and after training, have a
greater effect on lean mass and strength than when taken at other times of the
day. I don’t think that comes as a big surprise to most people “in the
know” about such things, but it’s good to see it confirmed under controlled
conditions.
The take home lesson is this: if you want to
optimize your nutrition to gain muscle mass and strength, it’s vital to
consume a combination of fast-acting carbs and protein during the workout
“window.”
Here’s what I recommend: mix 30-50g of high
quality whey with 75-100g of high GI carbs (such as glucose, maltodextrin,
etc.,) and 3-5g of creatine monohydrate and drink half immediately before you
hit the gym, and the other half immediately following your workout.
To make it extra simple, I use a pre-made carb
drinks (e.g., TwinLab Ultra Fuel, etc.) and add the whey and creatine to that
and mix it up. You can “roll your own” of course by buying various carb
powders in bulk. I just like the convenience of the pre-made carb mixtures
myself.
As you can see, I don’t use a complicated
formula for the amounts of protein, carbs, and creatine to take pre- and
post-workout. Why? Because - while focusing on such minutiae would make me look
smart - it probably won’t have any effects on you. Following the K.I.S.S.
(“Keep It Simple, Stupid”) system works best here. The above formula is more
then sufficient to supply the nutrients required to take advantage of the
metabolic window. Some people take it a step further by dividing the formula
into three parts, to be consumed before, during and after the workout, but I
don’t see the need for that either. I doubt there are any real benefits to it,
but more research is needed there.
This isn’t a miracle mixture, of course. If
your training and/or nutrition over the rest of the day aren’t up to snuff,
this pre- and post-workout drink won’t make up for those shortcomings. In
conjunction with a good training program and diet however, combining pre- and
post-workout nutrition will clearly add to your success. And remember, it’s
not rocket science, so don’t make it any more complicated then it needs to be.
*I recommend that anyone interested in the topic
of sports nutrition - lay person or scientist - should join the ISSN.* Visit
their web site at http://www.sportsnutritionsociety.org for more information.
**Presented by Dr. Paul Cribb
People that want to know my thoughts on the
correct way to lose fat should read my ebook Diet Supplements Revealed, see
this website
http://aboutsupplements.com.
If you want to know my thoughts on the best
way to set up a diet to gain weight in the form of muscle while minimizing
bodyfat, consider reading my ebook Muscle Building Nutrition (AKA Brink's
Bodybuilding Bible) at this web site: http://musclebuildingnutrition.com.
BTW, both ebooks also cover supplements for their
respective goals along with exercise advice.
About the Author - William D. Brink
Will Brink is a columnist, contributing consultant, and writer for various
health/fitness, medical, and bodybuilding publications. His articles relating to
nutrition, supplements, weight loss, exercise and medicine can be found in such
publications as Lets Live, Muscle Media 2000, MuscleMag International, The Life
Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside Karate, Exercise For Men Only, Body
International, Power, Oxygen, Penthouse, Women’s World and The Townsend Letter
For Doctors.
He is the author of Priming The Anabolic
Environment and Weight Loss Nutrients Revealed. He is the Consulting Sports
Nutrition Editor and a monthly columnist for Physical magazine and an Editor at
Large for Power magazine. Will graduated from Harvard University with a
concentration in the natural sciences, and is a consultant to major supplement,
dairy, and pharmaceutical companies.
He has been co author of several studies relating to sports nutrition and health
found in peer reviewed academic journals, as well as having commentary published
in JAMA. He runs the highly popular web site BrinkZone.com which is
strategically positioned to fulfill the needs and interests of people with
diverse backgrounds and knowledge. The BrinkZone site has a following with many
sports nutrition enthusiasts, athletes, fitness professionals, scientists,
medical doctors, nutritionists, and interested lay people. William has been
invited to lecture on the benefits of weight training and nutrition at
conventions and symposiums around the U.S. and Canada, and has appeared on
numerous radio and television programs.
William has worked with athletes ranging from professional bodybuilders,
golfers, fitness contestants, to police and military personnel.
BrinkZone.com
Email: will@brinkzone.com
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