Our study: Is fructose an essential ingredient in sports drinks?
Carbohydrates are the main fuel source during moderate- to high-intensity exercise (infographic, van Loon, 2001). Ingesting carbohydrates such as glucose during prolonged exercise has been shown to increase performance.
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Protein ingestion stimulates muscle protein synthesis, the process driving muscle adaptation and growth (1, 2).
Most protein is consumed during the 3 main meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (3). This leaves a long overnight period where little dietary protein is available for muscle recovery. Can an extra protein meal/supplement prior to sleep be beneficial?
Our work shows that an extra protein supplement before sleep improves overnight muscle protein synthesis. We have shown this in healthy younger and older subjects (4, 5).
Our new study: are muscle capillaries important for muscle mass during aging?
A progressive loss of muscle mass and strength is observed during aging, which is termed sarcopenia. In addition, aging is also accompanied by a loss in capillaries (small blood vessels) that supplies tissues such as muscle with oxygen, nutrients, and growth factors. Is there a connection between muscle mass and capillarization?
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Do short rest periods between sets blunt muscle growth?
Short rest periods (i.e. ≤ 1 min) between sets are popular in the gym. It is sometimes suggested that short rest periods may be beneficial because they stimulate a larger increase in circulating anabolic hormones (e.g. testosterone) compared to longer rest periods.
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Does carnitine supplementation increase endurance performance?
Fat is an important fuel source during endurance exercise. To burn fat for energy (fat oxidation), fatty acids have to be transported into mitochondria (the powerhouses of cells). Carnitine helps fatty acids get into mitochondria. Therefore, carnitine supplementation might increase fat oxidation during exercise.
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A single session of resistance exercise stimulates muscle protein synthesis. Over time, resistance training can result in muscle mass gains.
Protein intake also stimulates muscle protein synthesis (Trommelen, 2020). Therefore, protein intake can further improve training-induced muscle mass gains.