Post-workout (PWO) nutrition is crucial for reaching fitness and physique goals. The primary goal postworkout is to maximize glycogen storage and protein synthesis while minimizing protein breakdown and catabolic (muscle wasting) hormones. Proper PWO nutrition can help the body repair muscle tissue, reduce post-workout soreness, raise testosterone and growth hormone levels, and reduce cortisol levels. The correct supply of  arbohydrates and amino acids are needed PWO to accomplish this.

Fast-acting proteins and carbs (whey isolate, dextrose, and maltodextrin) are needed to maximize muscle recovery after weight training. These ingredients quickly replenish muscle glycogen and shuttle much needed amino acids to muscle cells. Branch chain amino acids (BCAAs), glutamine, taurine, and antioxidants also help prevent catabolism and improve muscle growth and recovery.

Whether bulking up or slimming down, all of these ingredients are crucial for proper recovery.

One of the main goals post-workout is to restore muscle glycogen depleted during the workout. The body can break down muscle tissue for this purpose if adequate carbohydrates aren’t available. For this reason, it’s vital to include carbohydrates in a post-workout drink.

A high level of cortisol and low level of insulin must be reversed immediately following a workout in order to create an anabolic (muscle-building) environment. Cortisol can be quickly suppressed and gluconeogenesis can be halted by a burst of insulin caused by fast-acting (high glycemic) carbs, which raise blood sugar and insulin levels quickly. Post-workout is the one time of day to eat insulin-spiking carbs, which will stimulate glycogen storage, shuttle carbs into the muscles, increase amino acid utilization, and blunt cortisol.

Ideal fast-acting carbs for PWO nutrition are dextrose (glucose) and maltodextrin (glucose polymers). Dextrose can be absorbed directly through the gut into the bloodstream and can cause an insulin response faster than any other carbohydrate. It’s already in the form the body requires, so can be used immediately for glycogen replenishment.

Even though maltodextrin is considered a complex carb, it is ideally suited to be used PWO because it is essentially a chain of loosely bonded glucose molecules. Like dextrose, maltodextrin is absorbed directly through the gut and raises blood sugar and insulin levels very quickly. However, before maltodextrin can be fully utilized and incorporated into muscle glycogen, it must first pass through the liver for the bonds between the glucose molecules to be broken. Even though it cannot be utilized to replace muscle glycogen as fast as dextrose, it does not cause as quick of a drop of insulin and blood sugar levels. Therefore, a mixture of both dextrose and maltodextrin is ideal for a post-workout recovery shake.

completed in time for the next training session. Liquid can be absorbed quicker than solids, so having a shake rich in high-glycemic carbs (and amino acids) right after training would be ideal. Post-workout nutrition shouldn’t include fat and fibrous carbs since they can slow absorption, and should avoid non-beneficial sugars such as fructose, sucrose, and lactose.

Rebuilding muscle tissue torn down during a workout is also a crucial component to muscle recovery. Glycogen and protein synthesis proceed faster when carbohydrates and protein are consumed together. A carb-induced insulin response helps shuttle amino acids to the muscles. An influx of amino acid will create a positive nitrogen balance, and thus an anabolic environment for building and retaining muscle.

The quicker protein can be delivered to the muscles cells, the sooner the recovery and repair process begins. Whole food sources of protein and slower digesting protein powders such as casein, egg, and soy should be avoided immediately after a workout because they take longer for the body to break down. Ideally a fast-acting protein source, such as whey protein isolate or hydrolyzed whey, should be used in a PWO shake.

Additional BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine) and glutamine are quickly absorbed into circulation and immediately available to be used rebuild muscle proteins. Leucine itself has been shown to have a greater stimulatory effect on protein synthesis than any other amino acid. Adding BCAAs can further increase the rate of skeletal muscle protein synthesis post-workout.

The addition of glutamine in a PWO drink can be beneficial. Glutamine is the most abundant amino

acid within blood and muscle cells. It helps maintain a positive nitrogen balance in muscle tissue. Levels of glutamine within blood and muscle cells fall during strenuous exercise, and many researchers believe that glutamine may prevent some of the muscle breakdown that occurs during strenuous exercise. Glutamine also has a myriad of other benefits that may compliment muscle repair. Recent studies have shown that taking just 2 grams of l-glutamine can increase growth hormone levels by 400%. Glutamine can also help boost the immune system, increase cell volumization, and quicken glycogen replenishment.

Thousands of reactions occur within the body as a result of intense physical training. The result of some of these reactions can be the formation of free radicals (destructive oxygen atoms). Exercise induced oxidative stress can be cured by PWO supplementation that includes antioxidants such as vitamin C and E. Vitamin C acts as a powerful antioxidant and seems to blunt the release of cortisol during high intensity or prolonged training. Vitamin E acts similarly to vitamin C as a strong antioxidant. Consuming these antioxidants can reduce post-workout muscle tissue damage, speed recovery, and boost immune function.

Taurine can also assist the recovery process. Taurine has been shown to have a cell-volumizing effect, which can boost hydration and help increase protein synthesis. Taurine also helps support proper nitric-oxide (NO) production, which is important to the body’s metabolism of fats. Additionally, taurine has been shown to have an antioxidant effect that can help boost the immune system.

So to summarize, an ideal PWO drink to aid recovery and avoid the breaking down of muscle would contain dextrose, maltodextrin, a fast-acting protein source such as whey protein isolate or hydrolyzed whey, BCAAs, glutamine, antioxidants (vitamins C & E), and taurine. One such product that consists of this mix is Core Nutritionals’ Core PWO (www.CorePWO.com).