Research

Hormonal

Post-resistance exercise ingestion of ~6g amino acids and ~35g glucose yields a net muscle protein synthesis response roughly equivalent to the sum of their independent effects, with no synergistic amplification.

After your resistance workout, you can consume amino acids (or protein) and carbohydrates together, or separately, and get roughly the same muscle-building benefit. The combination does not provide a 'super' effect beyond what each provides on its own. Focus on getting your protein in; adding carbs is optional for this specific additive effect, though it may help with recovery or performance in other contexts.

GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
These findings indicate that the combined effect on net muscle protein synthesis of carbohydrate and amino acids given together after resistance exercise is roughly equivalent to the sum of the independent effects of either given alone.
Sharon L. Miller et al. · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · 2003

Why this rating

High-quality human study using stable isotopes and leg balance techniques, though the sample size is small (n=10) and the doses are relatively low.

Source

Independent and Combined Effects of Amino Acids and Glucose after Resistance Exercise

Sharon L. Miller et al. · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · 2003

DOI 10.1249/01.mss.0000053910.63105.45

crossover · n=10Cited 284×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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