Low-carb diets have become quite popular lately. Find out if you can build muscle on a low-carb diet. Everyone knows that protein is essential for muscle growth. However, carbohydrates are essential for this process. This article will answer the question - can you build muscle on a low-carb diet?
Low carb diet and insulin
The anabolic properties of carbohydrates are directly related to the activation of the synthesis of certain hormones. Insulin plays the most important role in this process. It is worth noting that proteins also trigger the body's insulin response. However, you should go back to insulin. Most people know that this hormone regulates blood sugar levels and diabetes can begin to develop at low levels. But this is not the only function of the hormone.
It is worth recognizing that insulin is a multitasking substance and one of these functions is participation in the process of building muscle tissue. For example, one of the tasks of insulin is to accelerate the absorption of amino acid compounds. Simply put, with its help amino acids from the blood enter the muscle tissue. This gives the right to assert that carbohydrates, together with the subsequent insulin reaction of the body, contribute to the growth of muscle tissue mass.
Carbohydrates and Proteins
It should be noted right away that carbohydrates do not participate directly in the creation of protein molecules. The main component of muscle protein synthesis is an amino acid compound called leucine. This substance is found in fairly large quantities, say, in egg yolk.
From this we can conclude that protein synthesis takes place without the active participation of carbohydrates. Therefore, to the question - is it possible to build muscle on a low-carb diet, the answer is yes? Let's not rush to conclusions yet and will continue to deal with this topic. Perhaps we should start with terminology.
Very often, anabolism is associated with the production of proteins in muscle tissue, which is not correct. Anabolism is the general name for all the processes necessary for the growth of muscle mass. And for this reason, insulin is definitely an anabolic hormone.
The role of carbohydrates in the recovery of the body
Unfortunately, athletes very often underestimate the importance of the process of restoring muscle tissue from microdamages received during training. But the faster the muscles recover, the more often you can train, because it is the frequency of the training effect on the muscles that has a decisive influence on hypertrophy.
As mentioned above, carbohydrates promote the onset of insulin production, which, however, does not lead to an increase in protein production in the muscle tissues, but prevents their breakdown. Thus, it is thanks to the anti-catabolic properties of carbohydrates that they become anabolic. We have already noted that anabolism is a set of processes that contribute to the growth of muscle tissue. For this reason, carbohydrates can be safely classified as anabolic steroids. Carbohydrates play a role in the building of muscle tissue, and insulin prevents the breakdown of protein compounds and maintains the nitrogen balance at the required level. It is also important to remember that carbohydrates help muscle tissue recover faster after exercise.
After an intense training session, the immune system is weakened and carbohydrates support its functioning and also help to replenish glycogen stores. In light of the above, many athletes may have a fair question: is it necessary to consume carbohydrates immediately after completing a training session? It all depends on the training process, the frequency of training in the gym and the tasks assigned to the athlete.
If you visit the gym three times a week, then it makes no sense to take carbohydrates immediately after the end of the class. It will be quite enough those carbohydrates that enter the body along with food and they are guaranteed to restore glycogen reserves. If you work out in the gym seriously, then eating a couple of bananas after class is necessary and it does not matter if you consume other macronutrients.
Creatine transport system and carbohydrate intake
It's safe to say that creatine should be consumed by all athletes. Moreover, this should be done daily, since creatine contributes to the growth of strength indicators and increases the body's insulin sensitivity. Scientists have found that the combined use of creatine and carbohydrates increases the content of macronutrients in muscle tissues.
This fact is easily explained by the ability of insulin to quickly deliver creatine to muscle tissue and increase their ability to store it. It is also important to remember that insulin builds up electrolytes in muscle cells, which together with an increase in creatine levels contribute to an increase in muscle volume. Also, due to an increase in cell hydration and their volume, anabolic processes are activated much faster.
The role of carbohydrates in anabolism
From all of the above, we can confidently conclude that carbohydrates are anabolic. So the main question in this article - is it possible to build muscle on a low-carb diet - the answer is yes. Even in the absence of a large amount of carbohydrates, which is characteristic of a ketogenic diet, the body's anabolic response is present at a fairly high level. The human body is a very complex self-regulating mechanism that, if necessary, makes changes in all processes and adapts to the situation.
When the body does not get enough carbohydrates, it changes the biochemical rules. The active use of glycogen begins, the synthesis of hormones is accelerated, which can increase efficiency. As a result of all these actions, he adapts to chronic lack of carbohydrates and low insulin levels.
But this does not mean that every athlete should use a low-carb diet and it certainly should not be used all the time.
Learn about the nutrition and benefits of a low-carb diet in this video:
