Does adding carbs to your protein shake enhance muscle gains? 💪
Carbs = greater muscle gains?
Effects of Modest Carbohydrate-Energy Supplementation on Resistance Training Adaptations in Trained Men: A Crossover Trial
Study Details
This new study recruited 20 resistance-trained males to a crossover design where they consumed either…
1️⃣ Protein only (30g + 4g carbs)
2️⃣ Protein (30g) + carbs (54g)
…for 8-weeks alongside their habitual training and nutrition.
Key Findings
The protein+carb condition led to significantly more…
🔥 Daily energy intake (+485 kcal/day)
🍞 Daily carb intake (+33 g/day)
…vs the protein only condition.
There were no significant differences in protein, fat or training volume between conditions ✅
No significant differences were observed for any muscular adaptations including…
❌ Muscle hypertrophy
❌ Fatigue resistance
❌ Strength
Conclusion
Adding carbohydrates to your protein shake do not appear to significantly influence resistance-training outcomes 🤷♂️
However, if you are training again later in the day it is likely still beneficial for performance outcomes to include carbs and protein in your post/exercise shake ⏰
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42356347/
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