Nutrient Timing
Nutrient timing and its credibility have been discussed in the health field for some time now. As more and more studies come out, it seems that there might windows of opportunity to maximize nutrition. Nutrient timing is an essential tool in maximizing the benefits of all exercise and physical activity. What you eat is extremely important, but WHEN you eat it is paramount. The three constraints of this timing can be divided into three facets: Pre-exercise, during exercise, and post-exercise. Two of the biggest nutrients that are at play are carbohydrates and proteins. Below are findings and tips that will give you insight into the relationship nutrients and their intake can have on athletic performance.
Pre-exercise:
- Before working out, the intake of carbohydrates (CHO) is important to "...maximize endogenous glycogen stores and maintain serum glucose levels during endurance exercise" [1].
- A meal providing adequate CHO should be taken 3-4 hours before exercise to increase glycogen stores.
- "General guidelines recommend ingestion of 1 – 2 grams CHO/kg and 0.15 – 0.25 grams PRO/kg 3 – 4 hours before competition." [1].
During Exercise:
- Carbohydrates still play a huge role during the workout. When taken with a protein, or even by itself, carbohydrates can increase glycogen stores and offset muscle damage after the workout is over.
- Any workout that goes over an hour, you should be eating something that delivers anywhere from 30-60g of CHO per hour. This can be achieved by ingesting 1 – 2 cups of a 6 – 8% CHO solution (8 – 16 fluid ounces) every 10 – 15 minutes [1].
- Mixing a carbohydrate and a protein during a workout can also increase endurance performance, not just short-term uses of energy.
Post-exercise:
- Protein plays the biggest role in post-exercise recovery.
- Your post-exercise meal and you pre-exercise meal should not be more than 4-5 apart from each other, assuming that a normal workout ranges from 45-60 minutes [2].
- Within 30 minutes after your workout (the anabolic window), consuming a meal rich in protein and CHO have been shown to to stimulate muscle glycogen re-synthesis [1]
- As your body is breaking down (catabolic), the quicker you can nourish to stop these catabolic processes the better.
Failure to do so can "impede muscular gains" [2].
References
[1] Kerksick, C., Harvey, T., Stout, J., Campbell, B., Wilborn, C., Kreider, R., . . . Antonio, J. (2008). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 5(1), 17. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-5-17
[2] Aragon, A. A., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2013). Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1), 5. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-10-5
Pre-exercise:
- Before working out, the intake of carbohydrates (CHO) is important to "...maximize endogenous glycogen stores and maintain serum glucose levels during endurance exercise" [1].
- A meal providing adequate CHO should be taken 3-4 hours before exercise to increase glycogen stores.
- "General guidelines recommend ingestion of 1 – 2 grams CHO/kg and 0.15 – 0.25 grams PRO/kg 3 – 4 hours before competition." [1].
During Exercise:
- Carbohydrates still play a huge role during the workout. When taken with a protein, or even by itself, carbohydrates can increase glycogen stores and offset muscle damage after the workout is over.
- Any workout that goes over an hour, you should be eating something that delivers anywhere from 30-60g of CHO per hour. This can be achieved by ingesting 1 – 2 cups of a 6 – 8% CHO solution (8 – 16 fluid ounces) every 10 – 15 minutes [1].
- Mixing a carbohydrate and a protein during a workout can also increase endurance performance, not just short-term uses of energy.
Post-exercise:
- Protein plays the biggest role in post-exercise recovery.
- Your post-exercise meal and you pre-exercise meal should not be more than 4-5 apart from each other, assuming that a normal workout ranges from 45-60 minutes [2].
- Within 30 minutes after your workout (the anabolic window), consuming a meal rich in protein and CHO have been shown to to stimulate muscle glycogen re-synthesis [1]
- As your body is breaking down (catabolic), the quicker you can nourish to stop these catabolic processes the better.
Failure to do so can "impede muscular gains" [2].
References
[1] Kerksick, C., Harvey, T., Stout, J., Campbell, B., Wilborn, C., Kreider, R., . . . Antonio, J. (2008). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 5(1), 17. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-5-17
[2] Aragon, A. A., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2013). Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1), 5. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-10-5