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Slow carbohydrates and strength training

Slow carbohydrates are a topic that always sparks the same argument in the gym: should you fear them or use them wisely? The short answer is simple: carbohydrates are not the enemy, but their type, amount and timing matter a great deal.

Why do slow carbohydrates matter?

Carbohydrates are one of the body’s main sources of energy. In food, they can come as simple sugars, such as glucose, fructose and galactose, or as longer chains, such as starch. Table sugar, or sucrose, consists of glucose and fructose, and milk sugar, or lactose, of glucose and galactose. Maltose is malt sugar.

The body ultimately breaks the carbohydrates you eat down into simple sugars. This process starts in the mouth with salivary amylase and continues in the small intestine with the help of pancreatic amylase and intestinal juice. From there the monosaccharides pass into the blood and on to where they’re used: either immediately for energy or stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles.

Muscle glycogen is very important in strength training. During anaerobic muscle work, the body can’t draw quick energy from fat in the same way. When glycogen stores are empty, strength drops faster, recovery drags on and maintaining muscle mass gets harder.

How do carbohydrates affect blood sugar?

Not all carbohydrates behave the same way in the body. Dietary fiber slows glucose absorption, so energy is released more steadily. This is where the glycemic index, or GI, comes in. The higher the GI, the stronger the effect on blood sugar and insulin secretion can be.

The comparison given in the original article is telling: glucose has a GI of 138 and fructose 32. But GI alone doesn’t tell the whole story. Carrots, for example, can have a high GI, but a normal serving doesn’t contain enough carbohydrates to raise blood sugar very sharply.

That’s why glycemic load, or GL, is also used. The formula is simple: GI x grams of carbohydrate in the serving / 100. When a high GI comes with a large amount of carbohydrate, the effect on blood sugar is stronger. You can find the GI and GL values of foods at, for example, www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm.

Slow carbohydrates around training

From a training standpoint, the most practical question is this: when should you eat carbohydrates? In the morning and after a workout, the body usually tolerates carbohydrates better, because the muscles need to replenish glycogen. A post-workout recovery drink and the meal about an hour later can therefore be richer in carbohydrates.

Lunch and snacks can be more moderate. In the evening it’s worth watching the amount, especially if your daily activity has been low. Before a workout you don’t need to eat a very large, carbohydrate-rich meal. Your last meal could be two, or even better three, hours before training, so that your stomach doesn’t get in the way and your blood sugar doesn’t swing too sharply.

Honestly, there’s one classic mistake here: drinking maltodextrin before a workout in the hope of getting more strength right away. Maltodextrin breaks down quickly into glucose molecules and can spike blood sugar. A strong insulin release can follow, and during training your strength may actually fade. Maltodextrin has its place in a recovery drink, but before a workout it isn’t always a smart choice.

What should you look for when choosing carbohydrates?

A good start is to choose more fiber-rich and less processed sources. Good options include vegetables, raw fruit and berries, brown rice, pasta, boiled potatoes, whole-grain bread and porridges. It’s worth limiting white bread, white rice, sweetened breakfast cereals, soft drinks, sweetened juices, cookies, cakes and other sweets.

Light products also need their labels read. Low-fat doesn’t automatically mean a good choice. Some such products contain a lot of sugar so that the taste is preserved. The unflavored version is often a better base that you can adjust to your liking.

During a diet you don’t have to cut carbohydrates to zero. The original article suggests that even while losing weight, carbohydrates could provide about 40% of total energy if the goal is to maintain muscle mass and recover from training. That said, the same split doesn’t suit everyone. For some people a lower-carbohydrate diet works better, especially if a large amount of carbohydrate makes them feel sluggish.

A simple truth: someone training to build muscle mass shouldn’t fear carbohydrates. If 40% of the energy in a 3500-calorie diet comes from carbohydrates, that means 350 g of carbohydrates a day. The question isn’t only the amount, but whether your plate has slow carbohydrates, enough dietary fiber and a sensible balance of fat and protein.

FAQ

Do carbohydrates make you fat?

Not on their own. Body weight is affected by your total daily energy intake, the quality of your food and how much you move. Too much sugar and oversized portions can cause problems, but the same goes for other nutrients.

Are slow carbohydrates suitable before a workout?

Yes, as long as the meal comes early enough before the workout. For many people, a relaxed meal two to three hours before training works better than a quick sugar rush right before heading into the gym.

Is maltodextrin bad?

It doesn’t have to be. It’s a matter of timing. After a hard workout it can suit a recovery drink, but right before a workout the quick rise in blood sugar can make some people feel worse.