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Cited by 125Muscle metabolism and nutritionSports Performance and TrainingExercise and Physiological Responses

Short-Term Recovery from Prolonged Exercise: Exploring the Potential for Protein Ingestion to Accentuate the Benefits of Carbohydrate Supplements

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Betts, James A., Williams, Clyde·2010·Sports Medicine
DOI 10.2165/11536900-000000000-00000
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Abstract

This review considers aspects of the optimal nutritional strategy for recovery from prolonged moderate to high intensity exercise. Dietary carbohydrate represents a central component of post-exercise nutrition. Therefore, carbohydrate should be ingested as early as possible in the post-exercise period and at frequent (i.e. 15- to 30-minute) intervals throughout recovery to maximize the rate of muscle glycogen resynthesis. Solid and liquid carbohydrate supplements or whole foods can achieve this aim with equal effect but should be of high glycaemic index and ingested following the feeding schedule described above at a rate of at least 1 g/kg/h in order to rapidly and sufficiently increase both blood glucose and insulin concentrations throughout recovery. Adding ≥0.3 g/kg/h of protein to a carbohydrate supplement results in a synergistic increase in insulin secretion that can, in some circumstances, accelerate muscle glycogen resynthesis. Specifically, if carbohydrate has not been ingested in quantities sufficient to maximize the rate of muscle glycogen resynthesis, the inclusion of protein may at least partially compensate for the limited availability of ingested carbohydrate. Some studies have reported improved physical performance with ingestion of carbohydrate-protein mixtures, both during exercise and during recovery prior to a subsequent exercise test. While not all of the evidence supports these ergogenic benefits, there is clearly the potential for improved performance under certain conditions, e.g. if the additional protein increases the energy content of a supplement and/or the carbohydrate fraction is ingested at below the recommended rate. The underlying mechanism for such effects may be partly due to increased muscle glycogen resynthesis during recovery, although there is varied support for other factors such as an increased central drive to exercise, a blunting of exercise-induced muscle damage, altered metabolism during exercise subsequent to recovery, or a combination of these mechanisms.

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Authors
Betts, J. A., & Williams, C.
Affiliations
  • University of Bath (GB)
  • Loughborough University (GB)
Corresponding author
Betts, James A.
ORCID
Betts, James A.
Venue
Sports Medicine
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2010-11
Volume
40
Issue
11
Pages
941-959
ISSN
0112-1642 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2165/11536900-000000000-00000
OpenAlex
W2085801739
Cited by
125
References
130
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 6
FWCI
0.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
other-oa
Locations
  • Sports Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • The University of Bath Online Publications Store (The University of Bath) (submittedVersion)
  • Pure (University of Bath) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
GlaxoSmithKline
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
Keywords
post-exercise recovery, prolonged exercise, carbohydrate supplementation, muscle glycogen resynthesis, protein supplementation, insulin secretion, glycemic index, ergogenic aids, exercise-induced muscle damage, blood glucose
MeSH terms
Dietary Carbohydrates, Dietary Proteins, Humans, Exercise, Dietary Supplements, Recovery of Function

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