Are Carbs Necessary for Building Muscle? with Alan Aragon

Alan Aragon, a nutrition researcher and educator with over 30 years of success in the field. He is known as one of the most influential figures in the fitness industry’s movement toward evidence-based information. His notable clients include Stone Cold Steve Austin, Derek Fisher, and Pete Sampras."If there's enough total calories in the diet, enough total carbs in the diet, and of course enough protein in the diet, then the shifting around and the positioning of carbohydrate is best left to pretty much individual preference as far as positioning it for maximizing muscle hypertrophy." - Alan AragonLinks for this episodeNutritional Peak Week and Competition Day Strategies of Competitive Natural BodybuildersEffect of protein/essential amino acids and resistance training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: A case for whey proteinThe Effects of Creatine Supplementation Combined with Resistance Training on Regional Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review with Meta-AnalysisArtificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiotaHigh-dose saccharin supplementation does not induce gut microbiota changes or glucose intolerance in healthy humans and miceEpisode Overview:00:07:17 - Carb timing for muscle growth, <br />Carb timing is less important than protein timing when it comes to muscle hypertrophy. <br /><br />00:13:59 - Ketogenic diet for muscle growth, <br />While Ketogenic dieting works for many, it's not the optimal tool for maximizing muscle mass and retention. According to elite-level natural bodybuilders, an average of 2 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight during prep can help maximize muscle retention while losing fat. <br /><br />00:15:43 - Carb timing and lifting capacity, <br />Carb timing has less importance than protein timing when it comes to muscle hypertrophy. However, some literature suggests that lifting capacity is compromised when carbohydrates are not consumed, regardless of timing.<br /><br />00:16:21 - The Effects of Fasted Lifting on Performance, <br />Lifting fasted can compromise performance, so it's recommended to have a mixed macronutrient meal with some level of carbohydrate within one to two hours prior to the lifting session.<br /><br />00:17:40 - The Anabolic Window, <br />The idea that quickly absorbing protein and carbohydrates post-workout maximizes muscle protein synthesis has been debunked. Constant dosing of protein, carbohydrates, and fats throughout the day negates the need to hyper-focus on the immediate post-exercise period.<br /><br />00:22:17 - The Role of Carbohydrates in Maximizing Muscle Protein Synthesis, <br />A study showed that when you have enough protein, you don't need to add carbohydrates to it to maximize muscle protein synthesis. The optimal dose for protein is between 0.4 to 0.6g/kg of body weight, which appears to maximize the short-term anabolic effect or maximize the muscle protein synthesis response.<br /><br />00:26:47 - The Benefits of Flexible Thinking, <br />Training fasted vs fed depends on the goal and the population. While fasted training can lead to stronger anabolic signaling, compromising performance is a possibility. The best approach is to train when you can train, and when you can't, you can make it up later.<br /><br />00:32:58 - Fasting and Fat Loss, <br />There's no net difference over a 24-hour period between training fasted and fed when it comes to fat loss.<br />