Nutrition

Should I go for carbs or protein?

I’m getting confused by conflicting advice. After a weight-training session should I be taking on protein or carbohydrates?
Jez Matthews, by email

There is good evidence for feeding up on carbs as soon as possible after training. Not only does it facilitate the short-term mechanism of glycogen synthesis (carbohydrate storage), but it also allows for additional glycogen replenishment before the next training session, which is especially important if that’s going to be on the following day. If you’re taking a break from training for a few days, though, immediate carbohydrate feeding may not be necessary.

Boosting blood levels of amino acids by consuming quick-releasing proteins (whey protein or free amino acids) as soon as possible after training is also a good idea. Ideally you need a snack or drink providing 1g of carbohydrate and 0.5g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. In fact, if maximising muscle growth is your goal, it could be even better to raise blood amino acid levels before training.