Carbs are often seen as the enemy, as brands and social media influencers seemingly push everything without carbs. And while cutting back on carbohydrates may be a sensible way to reduce excess energy intake, those who push their bodies hard should keep track of their carbohydrate intake, especially post-workout, to replenish glycogen levels in a timely manner, a groundbreaking new study explains.
Although experts have long known that the digestion of carbohydrates after exercise is necessary to replenish glycogen in our bodies, the amount of carbohydrates and the time required for recovery are still less understood. A new study published in the National Library of Medicine and conducted by The Journal of Physiology has attempted to answer these questions.
Why does the body need glycogen?
When glucose is stored in the body, it takes the form of glycogen and is the body’s primary source of energy, derived from carbohydrates. Both the muscles and the liver store glycogen for later use, but if your reserves are too depleted, energy levels will drop and your performance will suffer. Taken to the extreme, A glycogen deficiency can lead to low blood pressure and hypogycemiaSo it makes sense that athletes and those who train hard would want to adequately replenish their levels.
How was the research conducted?
12 experienced male cyclists with an average age of 25 years were divided into two groups. Both cycled for about two hours to deplete their glycogen stores. One group was then given a carbohydrate refeeding protocol for 12 hours, while the other group fasted and was given only water or tea. Measurements were then taken to determine the effects on glycogen after 12 hours of recovery.
What were the results?
“Exercise greatly reduces the glycogen content of both muscle and liver tissue,” the report said. “Without carbohydrate intake, muscle and liver glycogen levels remain depleted.”
After training, all participants experienced an average decrease of 64% in glycogen retained in the muscles, and a decrease of 34% in the liver. Without carbohydrate supplementation, the fasting group remained exhausted for the entire 12 hours after training. However, the carbohydrate-refeeding group was able to fully restore liver glycogen levels within 6 hours, while data showed that muscles required up to 24 hours of carbohydrates to return to restored levels. “During post-exercise recovery, plasma glucose, lactate, and insulin concentrations increased, providing the necessary substrates and hormonal environment to support hepatic glycogen synthesis,” said the report on the significance of carbohydrates after a sweat.
The actual number of carbohydrates provided for the refeed group was 10 grams per kilogram of body weight, so this can serve as a guideline for those wanting to train hard the next day. However, the researchers note that the transport of glycogen to the muscles is slower than that of the liver, so simply increasing carbohydrate intake by more than 10 grams does not necessarily mean a faster recovery time.
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