How to use the action of insulin to look better and improve your athletic performance
The main function of insulin is to lower blood sugar levels. By doing so, it blocks the breakdown processes in the body and activates those of building, so it is no coincidence that it is considered the most anabolic hormone in the human body. Here are some practical tips on how to use it on our side to improve our athletic performance, gain muscle mass and even lose weight.
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Insulin during the period of accumulation of muscle mass
Stimulating the building processes in the body is the first and most important condition for the success of any period for gaining muscle mass. High insulin levels during such a period ensure a continuous course of anabolic reactions. In this way, insulin ensures the rapid recovery of depleted during heavy training muscle and liver glycogen needed for the next intense load. On the other hand, it minimizes muscle catabolism, and in the presence of sufficient amino acids in the blood plasma stimulates the synthesis of new muscle tissue.
In addition, it increases the accumulation of adipose tissue, but this can hardly be avoided in any weight gain regimen. Here’s what happens to insulin levels when you use the most common weight-loss diets – a high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) and a balanced diet in a positive energy balance. In HCD, most of the energy in the body (70-80%) comes from carbohydrate sources. They ensure the maintenance of high blood sugar levels and correspondingly high insulin levels.
In this way, the muscles have enough glucose and glycogen to provide training, and the amino acids in the blood plasma are immediately used for the synthesis of muscle protein. However, with this type of diet, increased carbohydrate intake and high insulin levels stimulate the accumulation of adipose tissue. In a balanced diet, the main energy source is again carbohydrates, but in a lower ratio (45-55%), on the other hand, increased protein intake with identical fat consumption. This maintains high enough insulin levels to activate anabolic processes, and less fat is accumulated.
To get the most out of insulin during weight gain, we need to stick to some rules:
- Avoid simple carbohydrates and foods with a high glycemic index – prevents sharp spikes and drops in blood sugar and insulin levels, respectively.
- Consumption of complex carbohydrates, divided into equal portions during the day – ensuring a gradual release of glucose into the blood, stable blood sugar and insulin levels.
- Providing enough building material – protein or amino acids, for the synthesis of new muscle protein.
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Maintain the amount of fat intake in the norm to limit the accumulation of excess adipose tissue.
Insulin in the period of weight loss
Unlike the weight gain period, in the weight loss period the desired effect is degradation. However, the breakdown of adipose tissue and the preservation of hard-built muscles. Maintaining low insulin levels is a prerequisite for reducing body weight or defining muscle.
The most commonly used diets for this purpose are a low-carbohydrate diet (LCI), carbohydrate rotation and a balanced diet in a negative energy balance. Here’s what happens to insulin levels when you practice them. During LCD, the amount of carbohydrates in the diet is reduced to a minimum. As a result, low blood sugar levels and correspondingly low insulin levels are maintained. This unlocks the catabolic processes in the body and promotes the breakdown of fat during exercise.
At the same time, however, the recovery of muscle glycogen is limited and heavy training is impossible. More importantly – due to low insulin levels, the breakdown of muscle tissue is accelerated and the body must be provided with the necessary amount of protein. For this reason, LCD is suitable mainly for athletes looking to quickly lose a few extra pounds or definition. Its use in non-athletes would rather lead to loss of muscle mass, especially without the supervision of a qualified nutritionist.
In carbohydrate rotation, days with low, medium and high carbohydrate content alternate in the daily menu. On the respective days, the levels of blood sugar and insulin, respectively, vary. Thus, markedly catabolic days alternate with days in which anabolic reactions predominate. Thus, weight loss is slower, but is mainly due to adipose tissue. From this point of view, carbohydrate rotation is suitable for both athletes and non-athletes.
A balanced diet in a negative energy balance can provide a reduction in insulin levels only with the right selection of carbohydrate sources. In this regime, due to the normal intake of carbohydrates, catabolic processes are significantly less pronounced and weight loss is slower. Normal body weight decreases by 10-15% over a period of 4-6 months. At the same time, the likelihood of side effects and complications is very small, so this type of diet is most suitable for non-athletes aiming to modify their eating habits and gradual weight loss.
Here are some basic rules:
- Intake mainly of complex carbohydrates and foods with low glycemic index, rich in fiber.
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Get enough protein to preserve muscle tissue.
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Eating enough fat to meet the body’s needs for carbohydrate rotation and a balanced diet.
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Intake of protein supplements during LCD due to its strongly catabolic nature.
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Maintain the amount of fat consumed during LCD in the norm.
Insulin levels before and after training
Regardless of the set goals and the desired results, ie. whether we are currently gaining weight or wanting to lose a few extra pounds, it’s a good idea to stick to two basic rules – low pre-workout insulin levels and high post-workout insulin levels.
Low pre-workout insulin levels
The normal physiological response of the pancreas in response to exercise is a decrease in the amount of insulin secreted. This is quite logical, since exercise has an insulin-like effect on blood glucose. They activate the transport of glucose from the blood into the muscle cells, thus lowering blood sugar levels. In the event of additional insulin exposure, a hypoglycaemic reaction could easily be elicited.
On the other hand, as already noted, insulin blocks the body’s breakdown processes. Therefore, its high levels before training would prevent the burning of body fat. It is the reduction of the amount of adipose tissue that is an effect sought by every trainee, regardless of the period in which he is and the goals he has set.
How to ensure low pre-workout insulin levels:
- The last meal should be 60-90 minutes before exercise.
- Do not eat simple carbohydrates and foods with a high glycemic index.
- Take products containing complex carbohydrates and foods with low glycemic index.
- It is best to eat fruits high in fructose – they provide easily digestible simple carbohydrate, which, however, does not affect insulin levels.
High insulin levels after exercise
Providing high post-workout insulin levels would have a positive effect on any exerciser. Provoking the release of insulin after the end of sports activities will block all catabolic processes in the body, and in the presence of sufficient nutrients and respectively of building material will activate the building processes. For example, insulin will stimulate the synthesis of muscle and liver glycogen consumed during exercise.
At the same time, it will stop the breakdown of muscle protein, and in the presence of a sufficient amount of amino acids, it will stimulate the synthesis of protein in the muscles, respectively muscle tissue. In addition, insulin will block the breakdown processes in adipose tissue, but after the end of training this can not be considered an adverse effect.
How to ensure high post-workout insulin levels:
- Consumption of foods rich in glucose – preferably fruits with high glucose content, as well as products with high glycemic index.
- Providing muscle building material – fast-digesting protein.
- Intake of amino acids – in addition to providing a building block for muscles, some amino acids also increase insulin secretion.
- Extremely suitable (especially for people looking to gain muscle mass) are products containing a combination of carbohydrates and proteins.
In cases where sources of amino acids and those in pure form cannot be accepted, the consumption of products containing glucose can be used to suppress catabolic processes. In conclusion – a good knowledge of the physiological effects of insulin can save us many moments of deprivation and hours spent pointlessly on the exercise bike in the gym. Following some simple rules can make him our ally both in gaining muscle mass and in reducing body weight or in a period of definition.
