June 2004

The question-of-the-month for June comes from Ed in Illinois, a 33 year old whose goal is to gain lean muscle mass.  His question is:

Dear Mike: 

When taking a post-workout recovery drink, is it better for protein uptake to have a large amount of simple sugar in the shake or not? 

Dear Ed:

Thanks for visiting my web site and submitting a great question.  Your question is a much-debated issue.  Personally, I never liked to take in simple sugars when I was competing.  However, research does show that up to 80-100 grams of simple sugars will be immediately absorbed into the muscle after an intense weight training session to refill glycogen stores that have been depleted during the workout.  Therefore, I would recommend that you find a protein recovery drink that has roughly 80-100 grams of simple sugars and only use it after an intense workout session.  I also recommend that you make sure your first post-workout meal includes high protein (40 grams or so) and 80-100 grams of complex carbs. 

Thanks again for your question, Ed.  Good luck with your training, and as always, don't forget to visit the Past Qs & As and my Training Tips section for more great tips and training info.

Until next month, train hard and stay healthy.

Mike Francois

Do you have a training question for Mike?  If so, visit our Ask Mike section and submit your question.

Note: Before embarking on any nutrition, supplementation, and/or training program, consult with your physician or other licensed health-care professional.