simple carbs good right before a workout?

IRonBuilT

New member
Hey for the past week ive been drinking a glass of cranberry/grapefruit juice and a protein shake an hour before my workout. I did that cuz someone told me that sugars right before a workout will give u a rush and help you lift is this true? If it is whats the best carbs to take in right before a workout. thanks
 
Well I will say it again but I am sure that you wil get conflicting answers you need fat before a workout. Carbs produce an insulin spike and insulin is disproportional to GH and you want that GH secretion while you ae lifting otherwise cortisol will become dominant
 
FunnyMonkey said:
Well I will say it again but I am sure that you wil get conflicting answers you need fat before a workout. Carbs produce an insulin spike and insulin is disproportional to GH and you want that GH secretion while you ae lifting otherwise cortisol will become dominant

Insulin blunts cortisol.
 
Frosty said:
Insulin blunts cortisol.
yeah but with growth hormone suppressed your body will secrete cortisol in response to the physical stress put on your muscles. So if GH is not secreted then cortisol will surely become dominant right off the bat
 
FunnyMonkey said:
yeah but with growth hormone suppressed your body will secrete cortisol in response to the physical stress put on your muscles. So if GH is not secreted then cortisol will surely become dominant right off the bat

But if you ate sugar, then you have insulin circulating in the blood, which will significantly blunt cortisol, not to mention make a more anabolic environment.
 
so if you have insulin in your blood and reduced cortisol and GH then you are not neccasarily anabolic. Working out is catabolic no matter how you look at it. Its what hormones are present afterwords that will speed your recovery and cause you to be anabolic. IMO I would rather have a high GH secretion than suppresed cortisol
 
FunnyMonkey said:
so if you have insulin in your blood and reduced cortisol and GH then you are not neccasarily anabolic. Working out is catabolic no matter how you look at it. Its what hormones are present afterwords that will speed your recovery and cause you to be anabolic. IMO I would rather have a high GH secretion than suppresed cortisol

Ok, anti-catabolic would be a better word.

As to after a workout, lower cortisol is a good thing. Not to mention insulin is way more anabolic/anti-catabolic than GH could ever hope to be.
 
It really depends on the individual and the workout planned. MCTs can provide energy, but a carb type person probably wouldn't get much from it, and you would probably benefit more during a more aerobic workout by taking MCTs beforehand.

You can give it a shot...and if it works...great. If not, switch back. Protein is definitely the base of a preworkout meal. You just have to experiment with the carb and fat amounts to see what works for you. I can read that some bodybuilder eats a bunch of rice before a workout, but that does me no good since it would likely make me sleepy.
 
Frosty said:
Ok, anti-catabolic would be a better word.

As to after a workout, lower cortisol is a good thing. Not to mention insulin is way more anabolic/anti-catabolic than GH could ever hope to be.

Insulin is a double edged sword it can be very anabolic but can also cause unwanted weight gain too. IMO GH is good from day to day and I cycle my carbs throughout the week. but I dont think that we will come to an agreement here

I have noticed me and you disagreeing on other posts too so I guess just different body types and research whatever works for you is what you should do
 
FunnyMonkey said:
Insulin is a double edged sword it can be very anabolic but can also cause unwanted weight gain too. IMO GH is good from day to day and I cycle my carbs throughout the week. but I dont think that we will come to an agreement here

I have noticed me and you disagreeing on other posts too so I guess just different body types and research whatever works for you is what you should do

Insulin is very anabolic, but timing is crucial. If you drink a dextrose drink before bed and not working out that day, insulin will still be very anabolic - to your GUT.

However, if you just worked out, insulin is anticatabolic/anabolic to muscles. Glucose uptake in muscles is greatly increased after a weightlifting workout, so the sugar is used in the muscles, not the fat. Just adjust the amount of simple carbs you are consuming. I highly doubt 50g of carbs will make anyone fat after a workout, but perhaps 200g could.
 
you always gotta love a healthy debate, thanks.... anyone else have any imput?
Fat, complex carbs or simple carbs right before a workout??
 
In response to OP, you are better off saving simple carbs for post workout. Very anabolic opportunity to spike insulin. In response to OP's previous response, I agree that fats are dynamite preworkout. This is broscience, but I have always found that I last a lot longer with a combination of fats and complex carbs than with carbs alone. I'm assuming because fats are slower to be absorbed and digested than carbohydrates, but I'm no nutritionist.
 
In response to OP, you are better off saving simple carbs for post workout. Very anabolic opportunity to spike insulin. In response to OP's previous response, I agree that fats are dynamite preworkout. This is broscience, but I have always found that I last a lot longer with a combination of fats and complex carbs than with carbs alone. I'm assuming because fats are slower to be absorbed and digested than carbohydrates, but I'm no nutritionist.

thanks, so post workout simple carbs and low fat ?
 
Back
Top