ridecamp@endurance.net: carbohydrate loading and muscle mass gains

carbohydrate loading and muscle mass gains

Beth Glace (lb@nismat.org)
Mon, 24 Mar 1997 15:51:28 +0000

Body builders use products which are high in carbohyrates and
protein not because carbohydrates add muscle mass but primarily
because they have high energy needs. Their muscles are becoming
large[muscle hypertrophy] because they are doing strength training,
which increases the diameter of the muscle fibers, particularly the
"fast twitch" fibers. The carbohydrate and protein concoctions help
supply the needed substrate to cover the increase in muscle mass.
Endurance athletes do low intensity [relative to weight
lifters], repetitive exercise, or LSD, which trains the slow
twitch fibers. These fibers contract for long periods of time during
training but do not tend to hypertrophy. As long as the the
athlete isn't just overeating and getting fat, having a high
carbohydrate diet will not cause bulkiness.
Beth Glace, M.S.
Sports Nutritionist
lb@nismat.org

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