Carbohydrates in bodybuilding

Posted on: 03/26/2015

the use of carbohydrates

To function, the body needs three main nutrients, each with a specific role. These three nutrients are proteins, carbohydrates and lipids.

Proteins act as muscle fiber builders and repairers. Muscle fibers are made up mainly of proteins and water.

Lipids, more commonly known as "fats", are often demonized for the health risks they entail when they are too high in the body. However, they are necessary because they enable the body to produce some of the hormones, notably testosterone, which is partly synthesized using certain lipids.

The role of carbohydrates

Finally, there are carbohydrates, which when consumed in excess are stored as subcutaneous lipids. The role of carbohydrates is to fuel the body's muscles and brain. Carbohydrates are also called "sugars", but not all carbohydrates are used in the same way by the body, because not all carbohydrates are the same.

Glucide musculation

The different carbohydrates

There are two types of carbohydrate: slow sugars and fast sugars. Slow sugars are associated with starchy foods, while fast sugars are associated with sweets and pastries.

What differentiates them is the speed at which they are absorbed by the body, and their impact on the secretion of a hormone called INSULIN.

The role of this hormone, secreted by the pancreas, is to regulate blood sugar levels so that they remain as stable as possible, thus avoiding excessive storage or, on the contrary, over-utilization of blood sugars.

Fast sugars, found mainly in sucrose (table sugar), fructose (fruit sugar) and lactose (milk sugar), are called simple sugars because their molecule is simple. The body can use them very quickly, but their high glycemic index means a sharp rise in insulin secretion.

Slow or complex sugars are made up of several sugar molecules. This complexity means they are assimilated more slowly, and therefore do not cause a sudden rise in insulin secretion. Their low glycemic index means they provide energy over a longer period of time.

These complex sugars are essential to the body's proper functioning, and are found in cereals, cereal products (pasta), certain vegetables (dried and fresh) and certain fruits, depending on their ripeness. The advantage of fruit is its vitamin and mineral content.

Which carbohydrates and when?

Carbohydrates should be consumed every day, but adapted according to the time of day and activity. Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day for bodybuilding.

During this meal, it's important to consume slow sugars to provide energy throughout the morning until the next meal. Consumption should not be excessive to avoid fat storage.

Fast sugars should be added to this meal to replenish muscle glycogen stores quickly and compensate for overnight fasting.

What's more, this intake of fast sugars will generate an insulin response which, if combined with protein intake, will lead to better protein binding and thus the end of muscle catabolism due to the overnight fast.

Throughout the day, the main meals and snacks (if they include carbohydrates) should be mainly slow or complex sugars, to avoid an insulin surge.

However, the post-training meal should provide simple sugars that are easily and rapidly assimilated, as during the session, muscle glycogen stocks will have been depleted if the session is intense enough. It is therefore essential to replenish these reserves as quickly as possible, in order to cut catabolism, which is synonymous with the destruction of muscle fibers.

This will also be one of the key moments of the day for the intake of highly assimilated proteins.

In short, to avoid any risk of subcutaneous storage of sugar in lipids, regulate your carbohydrate intake so that you only consume what you really need. Give preference to slow sugars, which provide energy for longer.

Simple sugars should be included in your post-night and post-training meals to restore the glycogen levels needed for recovery and to stop catabolism.