Research
Macro partitioning
Post-exercise carbohydrate co-ingestion provides no additional muscle protein synthesis (MPS) benefit over adequate protein intake alone following resistance exercise.
You do not need to consume carbohydrates with your post-workout protein to maximize muscle growth. Adequate protein (20-25g) is sufficient to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Carbs are still recommended for replenishing glycogen stores, but they do not add to muscle building benefits beyond what protein provides.
GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
co-ingesting CHO with AA/protein following RE has no further stimulatory effects on MPS and does not suppress MPB so long as protein is adequate (~25 g)... there is no benefit of co-ingesting CHO on stimulating MPS.
Why this rating
Based on multiple studies (Koopman, Glynn, Staples) cited in the review.
Source
Nutritional interventions to augment resistance training-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy
Robert W. Morton et al. · Frontiers in Physiology · 2015
DOI 10.3389/fphys.2015.00245
narrative_reviewCited 234×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Ingesting 20-25g of high-quality protein (e.g., whey) post-resistance exercise maximizes muscle protein synthesis (MPS) in healthy young adults, with no additional benefit from consuming 40g or more per meal.Good
- Resistance training to the point of contractile failure is the primary driver of hypertrophy, rendering specific load selection (light vs. heavy) less important as long as failure is reached.Good
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →