Research
Macro partitioning
High-glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates increase glycogen storage by ~30% over 24 hours compared to low-GI foods when total carbohydrate amount is identical.
If you need to maximize glycogen storage over 24 hours and total carbohydrate intake is fixed, choose high-glycemic index foods (like white rice, potatoes, or sugary drinks) over low-glycemic index foods (like whole grains). This can increase your glycogen storage by about 30% compared to low-GI options.
GoodSupportsMEDIUM confidence
glycogen storage was increased during 24 hours of recovery with a CHO-rich meals based on high-GI foods compared with an identical amount of CHO eaten in the form of low-GI foods (22). However, the magnitude of increase in glycogen storage (~30%) was substantially greater than the difference in 24-h blood glucose and insulin profiles
Why this rating
Cited studies show consistent trends, though the mechanism (GI vs. other factors) is complex.
Source
Postexercise muscle glycogen resynthesis in humans
Louise M. Burke et al. · Journal of Applied Physiology · 2016
narrative_reviewCited 223×
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