what if PWO is right before bed?

[luxur]

Sometimes i work out late, and i go to bed not really long after im out of the gym. Should i be worried since im cutting and im trying to keep carbs at a minimum late in the day? If yes what should i eat?

[AverageWorkouts]

Some carbs wont kill you before bed. In fact from what I have read on this website they help digest your food throught the night. ( this could be for bulk diet only, somebody will clear it up im sure )

[HowIdo]

Carbs before bed is bad because it can hinder your bodys ablility to release growth hormone while you sleep. Either way PWO is important and I would still eat the carbs!

[audis4]

Carbs before bed is bad because it can hinder your bodys ablility to release growth hormone while you sleep. Either way PWO is important and I would still eat the carbs!

Where the hell did you come up with that? It's all dependent on one's goals/overall cals etc. I eat carbs up the ass while I'm cutting and manage to lose a good 1.5-2lbs fat/wk.

reconsider your thoughts on carbs.

[HowIdo]

I didnt say anthing about not being able to lose weight while eating a lot carbs. I just said watch eating too many before bed due to Growth Hormone secretion, read up about it!

[audis4]

I didnt say anthing about not being able to lose weight while eating a lot carbs. I just said watch eating too many before bed due to Growth Hormone secretion, read up about it!

whats too many carbs?....trust me, I've read lots about dieting.
Im making the point that if carbs fit into your daily macros (whatever amount that may be) for whatever goal you're trying to attain, will not be detrimental.

Not trying to flame, just wondering why everyone is so anti-carbs?

[novastepp]

I didnt say anthing about not being able to lose weight while eating a lot carbs. I just said watch eating too many before bed due to Growth Hormone secretion, read up about it!

so you're referring to insulins "said" blunt to GH release. even thought it is released in small bursts throughout the night, with a small pulse being released when sleep begins to help begin the sleep cycles. However, insulin and insulin growth factors (IGF), in one study, were shown to mediate many of the anabolic effects of GH. It stimulates amino acid transport, protein synthesis and body growth(1). Througout the study, IGF was administered to patients before sleep cycles (experimental group) and GH levels rose in each subsequent administration, due to the fact that insulin has a positive effect on hormone regulation and tissue growth during sleep(1). One could then arrive at the conclusion that carbs before bed are better, than fats. Now if satiety is the issue. there is no reason that you couldn't combine some fats into that last meal.

(1) Growth Hormone -Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 and Sleep in controlled patients. By: N. Lindberg; M. Virkkunen; P. Tani; B. Appelberg; R. Rimón; T. Porkka-Heiskanen. Neuropsychobiology, 2003, Vol. 47 Issue 2, p78, 8p


Another study describes the need for insulin in performance athletes who exercise for body composition (everyone on the board basically). The amount of food eaten prior to bed has no effect on body composition unless exceeded only by the total daily number of calories consumed (2)(if you eat in an excess of calories for the day you will see weight gain). insulin and GH both contributed to increases in BMI during sleep in every single case when food was ingested immediately before sleep (administered IV)(2). Also in regard to varying GH levels, GH levels remained generally the same +- .1, when coupled with a range of IGF-1 levels (2).

(2) The Exercise-Induced Growth Hormone Response in Athletes. By: Godfrey, Richard J.; Madgwick, Zahra; Whyte, Gregory P.. Sports Medicine, 2003, Vol. 33 Issue 8, p599-613, 15p



Matters none whether you consume carbs before bed. and when coupled with a dietary approach that is based on the premise that you are building lean tissue or hoping to lose fat tissue, a diet with carbs is absolutely necessary for proper hormone(GH) function at night, and steady fat loss throughout the day.

[HowIdo]

The presence of insulin in the bloodstream has been shown to be an antagonist of HGH in the bloodstream. I understand it does matter what kind of carbs your going to eat before bed, but studies have also shown that fasting before bed can increase sleep-related HGH output.The largest and most predictable of all GH peaks occurs about an hour after onset of sleep. Why would you want to increase the insulin in your bloodstream when the largest peak of GH is going to happen?