2009 Studies & Research Blog

While there is plenty of literature out there regarding what it takes to build muscle – a proper weight training program that provides an overloading stimulus combined with nutrition to support this, there are still some people who are misled when it comes to protein intake.

Those who are relatively new to working out often think that by filling their system with protein, they’re taking on step ahead in the game of getting ‘huge’.  Not quite.

Researchers from the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education in Long Beach, California had a group of seventy-three healthy males take part in a study that was designed to determine the effect of nutritional supplementation on muscle mass gain when coupled with a weight training program.

The males were divided into three different groups, each of which consumed a different supplement protocol.

Group one consumed an extra 8.4 Mj a day in the form of 356 grams of carbohydrates and 106 grams of protein.  The second group consumed a supplement that contained the same amount of carbohydrates and protein (isocaloric), while group three did not take in a supplement, thus acting as the control group.

All groups maintained the same diet apart from the supplement.

During the study, they performed a weight training program four times a week, for an eight week period, after which they were evaluated for muscle gain.

The results found that even though all groups consumed the same amount of calories in their diets apart from the supplements, only the two supplemental groups showed an increase in lean body mass, with the range being increases between 0-6.3 kg for the carbohydrate protein supplement group and 0.9-5.9 kg for the high carbohydrate group.

Interestingly, all groups showed increases in strength gains, with no significant difference between noted between the various groups.

So, to put this into practice, you can increase your strength without eating at a caloric surplus, however, in order to show increases in lean body weight, that surplus is needed.  While most people do recognize this fact, many fail to realize that the gains can be just as good with that surplus coming from mostly carbohydrates as compared to carbohydrates and protein.

Thus, once you have met your protein requirements, carbohydrates become just as good at building new muscle tissue – if not better, than extra protein does.

Reference:
Garhammer, J. Effects of high-calorie supplements on body composition and muscular strength following resistance training. (2002). Journal of Sports Med Phys Fitness. Sep;42(3):330-7.