By Dr. Luke Bucci & Jeff Feliciano
The post-exercise glycogen two-step might help you bounce again in a single day.
Carbs are gas, and gas drives the machine that’s the human physique. That’s endurance athletics 101. However our carb want doesn’t finish when the exercise does, as a result of when the tank is empty, the one approach to fill it up is to, nicely, fill it up.
On this weblog publish, Dr. Bucci and Jeff Feliciano clarify the post-exercise technique of getting sufficient carbohydrates into your physique to revive muscle and liver glycogen as rapidly as attainable. They’ll additionally set up some signposts and guardrails alongside the best way to point what it’s best to – and shouldn’t – do with a purpose to recuperate quicker and understand greater positive factors out of your efforts.
CARBS AND RECOVERY
After a really lengthy, grueling endurance exercise, race, or occasion, it is advisable bounce again as rapidly as attainable to maintain your train capability at full energy. Which means restoration begins instantly after train stops. Instantly!
Though you might be fatigued mentally and bodily, your muscle tissues are simply starting to get the interior indicators to start out the Ache-For-Acquire technique of DOMS/EIMD for restoration – however for that to achieve success, your physique nonetheless wants vitality before everything.
Earlier than the post-exercise antioxidant/signaling storm will get cranked up there’s a slender window of alternative to start out the method proper so you possibly can shorten the restoration cycle. Benefiting from this dietary window is extra-critical for repeated days of strenuous train. It could forestall a gradual decline in efficiency and restoration and stop overtraining.
The trick is to replenish your muscle tissues’ glycogen ranges, re-upping the provision of gas that you just burned up throughout train. For those who do post-exercise glycogen repletion proper, you possibly can restore muscle glycogen ranges to regular in 24 hours.
KICKSTARTING THE CHO WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
OK, for a sec, BE your exhausted muscle tissues on the finish of a grueling train bout. FEEL your muscle tissues screaming for vitality to exchange the depleted glycogen they used to get you to the end.
As quickly as train stops, there’s a very quick lull of about an hour earlier than the quickly growing, dramatic vitality wants for the DOMS/EIMD restoration course of (detailed in one other weblog publish) begin signaling an enormous renovation, restore, and rebuild requiring all of the vitality you may get to muscle tissues. And on prime of that heavy demand, your muscle glycogen must be repleted ASAP – evolutionarily-speaking, your physique by no means is aware of if and when it is advisable hold going, so it defaults to filling up muscle glycogen as quick as attainable. Each processes pull from the identical pool of assets: the carbs you feed your self. How do your muscle tissues sustain with all this monumental additional vitality demand?
A really great amount of human analysis on post-exercise glycogen repletion has been printed, and the outcomes present that – performed correctly – fast muscle glycogen replenishment improves restoration and makes your subsequent train bout simpler with much less diminution of efficiency, if any. Suggestions are entrenched, universally-agreed, and needs to be normal observe for train over two hours in period, even when you’ve got been fueling and staying hydrated all through the train occasion.
The significance of getting carbohydrates into your muscle tissues as quickly as attainable after train is completed can’t be bolstered sufficient. Your intense, long-duration train has already set the wheels in movement for restore and restoration, and shortly the wave of molecular signaling all through your physique will take over and management glucose for these processes fairly than for replenishing muscle glycogen. Having replenished muscle glycogen offers your muscle tissues the vitality to boost and speed up the whole restoration course of in comparison with not having sufficient glycogen, which slows the method.
THE MUSCLE GLYCOGEN TWO-STEP
Similar to your intestine cells transfer GLUT4 receptors to their gut-facing floor with a purpose to take up extra glucose throughout train, your muscle tissues use the identical trick to seize extra glucose when glycogen ranges drop throughout train. This GLUT4 translocation is furiously elevated within the 30-60 minutes after train for a period of 30-60 minutes (Jentjens 2003), and represents the primary stage of quickly replenishing your muscle glycogen. That window is essential, as a result of when you don’t replenish glycogen whereas it’s open, it turns into a lot more durable to take action, and your total restoration might be impeded.
The translocation of glucose receptors is triggered by low muscle glycogen ranges, that are typical close to the top of an exhaustive, long-duration train bout. Your muscle tissues are very hungry for glucose presently and sensible sufficient to make use of a number of methods to extend glucose content material to complete the exercise/race/occasion and likewise to kickstart glycogen replenishment. By translocating glucose receptors, depleted muscle tissues turn out to be glucose sponges, taking on as a lot as they will with no need insulin.
After 30-60 minutes, the DOMS/EIMD restoration course of will get rolling, and insulin turns into extra vital for flooding muscle tissues with glucose and amino acids. That is the second step of replenishing your muscle glycogen, and – like the primary – it requires, merely, carbs. However how a lot? Properly, we’re glad you requested.
HOW MUCH CARBOHYDRATES IMMEDIATELY AFTER EXERCISE?
A lot analysis has clearly proven that the best muscle glycogen synthesis charges are achieved by CHO intakes of 0.8-2g carbs/kg physique weight/hour – 50-120 grams of carbs. That is near what you ought to be doing hourly throughout train, however to fulfill the First Step of muscle glycogen replenishment, it additionally must be performed by half-hour after you end, through the glycogen window.
n observe, 60 grams of glucose is definitely completed within the first half-hour with out GI intolerances. Liquid drinks are one of the best ways to get glucose to hungry muscle tissues within the first half-hour. A second serving might be ingested at an hour, however even higher is to eat a high-carbohydrate meal.
WHICH CARBOHYDRATES IMMEDIATELY AFTER EXERCISE?
Once more, a lot analysis over the previous 40 years has proven that glucose remains to be the popular type of carbohydrate for instant post-exercise glycogen replenishment – it’s what your muscle tissues are primed to search for and use the quickest approach, courtesy of these migrating receptors. There are different choices, in fact, so let’s take a detour down Alt CHO Avenue earlier than arriving at our vacation spot.
Sucrose (desk sugar) and fructose are additionally in a position to replenish muscle glycogen, however not any higher than pure glucose itself, and pure fructose even delays muscle glycogen repletion by shunting some glucose to replenish liver glycogen, which essentially cuts into the provision going to these determined, depleted muscle tissues.
Quick glucose polymers just like the maltodextrins in EFS, EFS-PRO, and Liquid Shot are much like glucose for glycogen repletion, however as a result of glucose itself remains to be hanging round your bloodstream when Step Two kicks in, insulin works higher with glucose.
So in the end, glucose was our vacation spot all alongside. The metabolic signaling milieu of muscle tissues merely favors glucose within the Glycogen Two Step. Ever the succesful dance associate, Ultragen follows the appreciable analysis and profitable observe findings by supplying 60 grams of glucose per serving. In case you are really glycogen-depleted, the surge of glucose might be felt rapidly as a lower in fatigue. Your mind additionally runs on glucose and is revived too, serving to your post-exercise temper – and lowering the chance of an intense Saturday morning session blowing half your weekend off the rails.
ANYTHING ELSE TO HELP CARBS GET INTO POST-EXERCISE STARVED MUSCLES?
This received’t be a shock, however hydration is essential. Happily, hydration can also be happy when you use liquid drinks like Ultragen. Ultragen is full, there’s no want so as to add anything, so we suggest mixing it with water solely as a result of another additions will solely gradual absorption.
Consensus suggestions additionally insist that nutritional vitamins and minerals accompany glucose to the dance, and you may all the time guarantee ample standing of each important vitamin/mineral beforehand by constantly utilizing a complete, high-potency MVM like MultiV. A series is barely as sturdy as its weakest hyperlink, and there’s a lengthy chain of occasions for muscle glycogen repletion and train restoration.
The ultimate non-glucose addition is protein and/or protein hydrolysates (peptides) plus sure amino acids, which – together with glucose sources – improve the replenishment of muscle glycogen after depletion.
SUMMARY
After long-duration, strenuous, exhausting train, beginning restoration instantly – instantly! – after you end can’t be pressured sufficient. (IMMEDIATELY!) Maximizing glucose consumption after train with constant and continued intakes of carbohydrates can replete muscle glycogen to regular in 24 hours. That’s an in a single day turnaround when you play it proper, and the analysis proof is deeply rooted and broadly agreed-upon. Moreover, outcomes for restoration and total well being are additionally higher with beginning restoration rapidly.
References for Glycogen Window for Restoration
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Bucci LR. Dietary ergogenic aids – macronutrients, Ch 2 in Vitamins as Ergogenic Aids for Sports activities and Train, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1993, pp. 7-20.
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Literature Quotes for Glycogen Window for Restoration
“In conclusion, the current outcomes point out that glucose and sucrose are the carbohydrates of alternative to revive muscle glycogen deposits after exhaustive train.”
Blom 1987, p.496
“As an evidence-based framework, a 4R’s strategy to optimizing post-exercise restoration was recognized: (i) Rehydration-a elementary course of that can depend upon the athlete, setting and sports activities occasion; (ii) Refuel-the consumption of carbohydrates isn’t solely vital to replenish the glycogen reserves but additionally to contribute to the vitality necessities for the immune system and tissue reparation; … (iii) Restore-post-exercise ingestion of high-quality protein and creatine monohydrate profit the tissue progress and restore; and (iv) Relaxation-pre-sleep diet has a restorative impact that facilitates the restoration of the musculoskeletal, endocrine, immune, and nervous methods.”
Bonilla 2020, Summary
“Fast restoration after coaching session or multi-day competitors, particularly when there’s lower than 8 hours till subsequent session. Advisable carbohydrate consumption. Consumption of 1-1.5 g/kg each hour within the early levels of restoration after train, contributing to a complete consumption of 6-10 g/kg over 24 hours.”
Bosch 2011, p.162
“Advantages from fast and full replenishment of glycogen ranges by post-exercise dietary carbohydrate consumption embrace quicker recuperation, quicker return to coaching, and upkeep of train efficiency (prevention of impaired efficiency) in strenuous each day occasions (resembling Tour de France biking races).”
Bucci 1993, p.13
“Ingestion of drinks containing glucose has proven to extend blood glucose, enhance endurance working efficiency, and reduce plasma cortisol ranges and circulating leukocyte subsets. Carbohydrate ingestion attenuates the inflammatory response to acute train by diminished ranges of IL-6, whole anti-inflammatory IL-1RA, and cortisol.”
Buonocore 2015, p.64
“Fast resynthesis of muscle glycogen shops is aided by the instant consumption of carbohydrate (I g.kg-1 BM every 2 hours), notably of excessive glycemic index carbohydrate meals, resulting in a complete consumption over 24 hours of 7-10 g.kg-1 BM.”
Burke 1997, Summary
“…early consumption of carbohydrate after strenuous train is effective as a result of it gives a right away supply of substrate to the muscle cell to start out efficient restoration, in addition to profiting from a interval of reasonably enhanced glycogen synthesis.”
Burke 2004, p.28
“Availability of carbohydrate as a substrate for the muscle and central nervous system is essential for the efficiency of each intermittent high-intensity work and extended cardio train. Subsequently, methods that promote carbohydrate availability, resembling ingesting carbohydrate earlier than, throughout and after train, are essential for the efficiency of many sports activities and a key element of present sports activities diet pointers.”
Burke 2010, Summary
“The function of dietary carbohydrates (CHO) within the resynthesis of muscle and liver glycogen after extended, exhaustive train has been clearly demonstrated.”
Costill 1985, Summary
“Essentially the most delicate interval for glycogen resynthesis is throughout the first few hours after train.”
Costill 1991, Summary
“Carbohydrate ingestion at a price of ≥1.2 g carbohydrate per kg physique mass per hour seems to maximise post-exercise muscle glycogen repletion charges. Offering these carbohydrates within the type of glucose–fructose (sucrose) mixtures doesn’t additional improve muscle glycogen repletion charges over glucose (polymer) ingestion alone.”
Gonzalez 2017, Summary
“Consumption of small quantities of CHO (1.0–1.2 g/kg BW) and protein instantly after train and through restoration is usually beneficial to replenish physique glycogen shops [49], to stimulate muscle protein synthesis [94] and to boost coaching diversifications [95].”
Gunzer 2012, p.1197
“4. Ingest a superb postexercise carbohydrate/protein drink. After train, the physique is primed for muscle glycogen resynthesis and the restore of muscle injury. A carbohydrate/protein drink primarily based on the ideas of the Nutrient Timing System can enhance muscle glycogen restoration and muscle protein standing.”
Ivy 2004, p.132
“Thus CHO availability on the appropriate time throughout train restoration is essential for replenishing muscle glycogen.”
Millard-Stafford 2008, p.194
“The best dietary countermeasures, particularly when thought-about from a metabolomics perspective, embrace acute and persistent will increase in dietary carbohydrate and polyphenols. … Carbohydrate supplementation has the strongest scientific help, and reduces post-exercise stress hormone ranges, irritation, fatty acid mobilization and oxidation.
Nieman 2017, Summary & p.18
“The principle issue figuring out the restoration time is the glycogen synthesis price, which is especially vital when the repletion intervals are quick, resembling in periods of intensive coaching, stage races, and tournament-style competitions.”
Orru 2020, p.6
“Present proof continues to help necessary excessive carbohydrate intakes … after the occasion to optimize post-event repletion of endogenous carbohydrate shops.”
Peters 2003, Summary
“Power and macronutrient wants, particularly carbohydrate and protein, have to be met throughout instances of excessive bodily exercise to take care of physique weight, replenish glycogen shops, and supply ample protein to construct and restore tissue.”
Rodriguez, American Faculty of Sports activities Medication, American Dietetic Affiliation 2009, Abstracts
“For maximal glycogen resynthesis, carbohydrate consumption have to be excessive sufficient to make sure adequate blood glucose for muscle glucose uptake and adequate insulin to maintain a excessive proportion of glycogen synthase within the lively kind. Nevertheless, there seems to be each insulin-dependent and insulin-independent phases of post-exercise human muscle glycogen resynthesis.”
Wilkinson 1998, p.88
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