83. NUTRITION FOR RECOVERY AND REBOUND - BY JEFF ROTHSCHILD PhD
What Happens After Exercise?
Hard training sessions or races don’t end at the finish line. Your body then goes into recovery mode — repairing muscle, replenishing glycogen, restoring fluids, and preparing for the next session. Recovery can be a game changer, especially when athletes face multiple training sessions or back-to-back races. I was recently part of a research collaboration reviewing the latest evidence on post-exercise recovery strategies [1] (link). This article shares some of the key takeaways from the review, offering evidence-based and practical nutrition strategies to speed up recovery and ensure you're ready to go again when it counts.
1. WHY DOES RECOVERY NUTRITION MATTER?
Recovery nutrition is not just about feeling better after a workout. It impacts your physiology and so readiness for the next training session or race:
Glycogen repletion (energy restoration)
Muscle repair and protein synthesis
Hydration and electrolyte balance
Immune support and reduction of inflammation
Let’s break down the main components.
2. CARBOHYDRATES: THE CORNERSTONE OF RECOVERY
Carbohydrate is essential to replenish glycogen stores in muscle and liver. Several factors are relevant when it comes to carbohydrate and recovery.
Timing: When you have less than 24 hours between key efforts (workouts or races), the first few hours post-exercise are critical. This is because glycogen can be replenished more quickly in the initial (~ 1 h) post exercise, when glucose transporters are still on the muscle membrane and can bring glucose into the cell without insulin. The figure below is adapted from a classic study from Ivy et al (University of Texas, Austin) [2], showing muscle glycogen synthesis at 4 h post exercise when carbohydrate (2 g/kg) was consumed immediately after or 2 h following exercise.
Glycemic index: The glycemic index (GI) measures how much a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose levels compared to pure glucose, which has a GI of 100. High-GI foods deliver glucose into your system more quickly, and are thought to increase muscle glycogen resynthesis. This figure shows the difference in 24 h glycogen resynthesis when consuming 10 g/kg carbohydrate of primarily high glycemic index carbs (e.g., cereal, bread, mashed potatoes) compared with the same amount of carbohydrate but as low glycemic index carbs (e.g., oats, beans, rice) [3].
Carbohydrate type: The type of carbohydrate (e.g., glucose, fructose, etc.) also can impact glycogen replenishment, particularly liver glycogen. This figure shows an increase in liver glycogen synthesis with the addition of fructose or galactose compared with a combination of maltodextrin and glucose [4].
Amounts: If maximizing glycogen resynthesis is critical (e.g., when you have two races the same day or another hard session or race the following day), aim for 1.0–1.2 g/kg carbohydrate per hour for the first 4 hours post-exercise. If you are training and just want to recover well for an easy or moderate session the next day, you can aim for just 1.0–1.2 g/kg post-exercise (just that one serving, not every hour). In addition, you can use high-glycemic index sources (i.e., fast carbs, low in fiber) for faster absorption, and the addition of fructose (~0.5 g/kg/hour) can improve liver glycogen resynthesis and reduce GI discomfort.
Total daily carbohydrate intake would typically range between 3-12 g per kg body mass, but may be as high as 20 g per kg for a world class rider in a grand tour. Where you fall on this range depends on your habitual carbohydrate intake, your fitness level, and the exercise you’ve done that day. For example, on an off-day or recovery day people on low-carb diets may find 3–4 g/kg to be a lot, whereas people on moderate and higher carb diets can more easily push their intakes to the 6–8 g/kg range, with 8–12 g/kg reserved for very high carbohydrate loading days. If you are on the bike for 6 h, you may have consumed 6 g/kg on the bike, which means you may need another 6+ g/kg in the recovery period. Fitness level also matters because it dictates how much energy (and carbohydrate) a cyclist can burn (higher the fitness level, higher the watts produced and so higher the energy expenditure). If you want to have a more specific idea about the exact amounts of kcal, fat and carbs that you/a given athlete use when pedalling at a certain power for a certain duration, you can download our excel calculator here!
Real-World Tip: Drinks or smoothies with glucose and fructose blends (like sports drinks or fruit juice with added dextrose) can hit the target while being easy to consume.
3. PROTEIN: SUPPORTING REPAIR AND ADAPTATION
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