Forget Insulin for Muscle Building
One of the biggest things I regret about my younger bodybuilder days is when I used to take upwards of 150 grams of glucose after every workout.
Not just carbs..150 grams of straight dextrose.
At the time, I thought that more insulin meant more muscle.
Turns out…this was a mistake.
Insulin may be an important factor for muscle growth in young rodents and possibly in human children, but studies have shown convincingly that insulin is not required for protein synthesis in adult human beings.
In fact, according to a research paper published in the American Journal of Physiology, you need to get your insulin levels up to about 10,000 times normal levels to get an anabolic response.
10,000 times higher – There is not a post-workout shake in existence that can do this!
To make matters worse, having chronic high levels of insulin has been linked to the development of colorectal and pancreatic cancers.
The bottom line is, you don’t need high insulin to build muscle, and purposefully jacking up your insulin seems to have more negative health implications that it does positive.
So you can forget about forcing yourself to drink those crazy high carbohydrate post workout meals – It’s your workouts (not your post workout carbs) that dictate the size of your muscles.
BP
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Get The Report…
Brad,
Bodybuilders use exogenous insulin. It overrides the liver and fills up the glycogen storages of the muscles first. That’s why it is so potent.
And you miss to give a citation of the study.
Greets, Jebus (not the dude with the cross).
It is soooo refreshing to hear someone speaking common sense about this topic.
Also, increased insulin levels are connected with a whole lot of bad health, not just those you cited. Heart disease is the big one.
Keep up the good work.
Joe
This is very up-to-date info. I think I’ll share it on Facebook.
What would make for the best post-workout shake? Mine consists of 1.5 serving protein powder and 1 cup of orange juice
Brad, what about drinking fast digesting carbs during the workout? I´ve been trying it and seeing good results. I´d really like to know what about this from you because you always give great advise and I trust it.
During the workout? I don’t see any muscle building benefit, and definitely not any fat burning benefit, so I’d have to say don’t bother…just another bodybuilding-guru-gimmick.
BP
Thanks Brad, it´s so confusing sometimes, too much wrong information, I read it was good to drink fast digesting carbs during the workout because it gives you better pumps, but honestly I trust your advise over those “gurus”. Now I know it´s just bs, thanks again.
Between whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate, which among the two do you think is more expensive? Try to visit http://www.squidoo.com/high-protein-shake if anybody want more info.
great post thanks a ton
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When you say young rodents, what age does that refer to below 18 years old or what?
Will be great if you could refer wich study you are talking about. I need more scientific explanation than just a very simple afirmation.