One of the most popular candies that we have, gummy bears, may not only satisfy someone’s sweet tooth. Gummy bears have the potential to be considered high-quality carbohydrates that can help with muscle recovery (Kanter 2017). Many athletes have always looked at which foods and supplements could give them the edge in any sport, today we focus much of that attention on nutrition. The focus on nutrition has brought scientists to think about the fastest ways to replenish our bodies of the glycogen that is depleted when taking part in any form of exercise. Replenishing this glycogen storages immediately would then allow our body to focus on the muscle recovery and repair after an intense workout. Gummy bears are made up of a simple sugar known as dextrose. Eating gummy bears as a post-work out supplement would allow our bodies to quickly replenish the glycogen that was used during the work-out, this is because dextrose is just another name for glucose, which would mean that our body does not need to break down the ingredients within the gummy bear and can use them immediately.
Dr. Ziengenfuss from the Pinnacle Institute of Health and Human Performance, found that ingesting carbohydrates postexercise can increase muscle protein synthesis by 350% (Ziengenfuss 2004). Although these results may be promising we do see some studies that have found this not to be as beneficial as it may seem. In one study, Dr. Juha Hulmi, tested the effects of protein with or without carbohydrates after a workout. The study found that there was a significant difference in abdominal fat loss, showing that the group ingesting only protein had increased abdominal fat loss when compared to the group ingesting a combination of protein and carbohydrates. However, the study found no significant difference in muscle growth or protein synthesis in either of the two groups.
In conclusion, it may be beneficial to consume high quality carbohydrates to increase protein synthesis after a workout, yet it should be taken with a grain of salt.
References:
Hulmi, Juha J., et al. “The Effects of Whey Protein with or without Carbohydrates on Resistance Training Adaptations.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, vol. 12, no. 1, 2015, doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0109-4.
Kanter, Mitch. “High-Quality Carbohydrates and Physical Performance.” Nutrition Today, vol. 53, no. 1, 2018, pp. 35–39., doi:10.1097/nt.0000000000000238.
Ziegenfuss, Tim N. “Postworkout Carbohydrate and Protein Supplementation.” Strength and Conditioning Journal, vol. 26, no. 3, 2004, pp. 43–44., doi:10.1519/00126548-200406000-00012.
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