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Low carbohydrate availability impairs hypertrophy and anaerobic performance
Lee M Margolis1, Stefan M Pasiakos2
1Military Nutrition.
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
|April 14, 2023
Summary
Low carbohydrate diets increase protein oxidation, limiting muscle growth and impairing anaerobic performance. Athletes performing high-intensity exercise should avoid carbohydrate restriction for optimal results.
Area of Science:
- Sports nutrition
- Exercise physiology
- Metabolic adaptation
Background:
- Dietary carbohydrate restriction is popular for fat loss but may negatively impact muscle metabolism.
- Emerging evidence suggests carbohydrate restriction increases protein oxidation and limits amino acid availability.
- This review examines the effects of carbohydrate restriction on muscle mass regulation and anaerobic performance.
Approach:
- Review of contemporary scientific evidence.
- Analysis of molecular and physiological responses to carbohydrate restriction.
- Focus on intracellular regulation of muscle mass and performance.
Key Points:
- Carbohydrate restriction increases branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) oxidation and reduces myogenic regulator factor transcription.
- Prolonged carbohydrate restriction (8-12 weeks) blunts hypertrophic responses to resistance training.
- While muscle strength is unaffected, anaerobic performance (sprint, time to exhaustion) is impaired by low muscle glycogen.
Conclusions:
- Dietary carbohydrate restriction negatively impacts muscle hypertrophy and anaerobic performance.
- Athletes engaged in high-intensity exercise should reconsider carbohydrate-restrictive diets.
- Maintaining adequate carbohydrate availability is crucial for supporting muscle protein synthesis and high-intensity exercise capacity.
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