Boosting muscle sugar recovery after exercise with carbohydrates and amino acid or protein mixtures

Plasma insulin responses increased by 88% and 46% in trials with added protein and higher carbohydrates, respectively.

• Muscle glycogen synthesis was significantly higher with the addition of protein hydrolysate and amino acids compared to carbohydrate alone.
• The combination of carbohydrate and protein hydrolysate resulted in muscle glycogen synthesis rates of 35.4 micromol glycosol units per gram of dry weight per hour.
• Increasing carbohydrate intake to 1.2 g per kilogram per hour also led to higher glycogen synthesis, measured at 44.8 micromol.
• The control trial with 0.8 g carbohydrate per kilogram per hour showed a lower synthesis rate of 16.6 micromol.
• Higher insulin responses were associated with both the protein and carbohydrate combination and the increased carbohydrate intake.

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