Why carbs matter for muscle growth and sprinting
Low carbohydrate availability impairs hypertrophy and anaerobic performance
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Muscle strength remains unchanged despite impaired hypertrophy and anaerobic performance.
Most assume that if muscle growth is hindered, strength will drop too—but this study shows strength can be preserved even when muscles aren’t getting bigger or performing explosively.
Practical Takeaways
If you're doing HIIT, sprinting, or high-intensity sports, include at least moderate carbs around workouts to preserve muscle growth and energy output.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Muscle strength remains unchanged despite impaired hypertrophy and anaerobic performance.
Most assume that if muscle growth is hindered, strength will drop too—but this study shows strength can be preserved even when muscles aren’t getting bigger or performing explosively.
Practical Takeaways
If you're doing HIIT, sprinting, or high-intensity sports, include at least moderate carbs around workouts to preserve muscle growth and energy output.
Publication
Journal
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
Year
2023
Authors
Lee M. Margolis, S. Pasiakos
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Claims (4)
Carbohydrate intake has no significant effect on muscle hypertrophy when protein and total energy intake are held constant.
When you eat very few carbs, your body breaks down important muscle-building amino acids instead of using them to grow muscle, making it harder to get stronger from weight training.
When your muscles don’t have enough stored sugar (glycogen), you can’t sprint as fast or go as long during all-out efforts like cycling or running hard.
When you eat very few carbs, your body burns up the protein you eat for energy instead of using it to repair and build muscle.