Thread: I'm confused about dextrose

sugar for a spike to increase insulin levels!

Every type of carbohydrate will eventually end up as the simple sugar, glucose. What you want post workout is a carb that is fast acting...meaning it will cause a large and quick increase in the hormone insulin. Insulin is responsible for the storage of muscle glycogen (stored glucose) and amino acids. Insulin will also help creatine flood the muscles more efficiently.

Dextrose is good at this, as is maltodextrin, and fast acting carbs like white bread, white poatoes, white rice, rice cakes, etc. Fruit is not a good choice at this time as the sugar in fruit...fructose...does not do a good job at filling muscle glycogen.

Yo gopro, so your saying that you shouldn't have sugar spike postworkout and should have complex carbs instead.??? I never heard of that,...

(this is MBC)

So is it ok to leave the fruit if we add some dextrose or maltodextrin too? Or should we drop the fruit all together? I like bananas in my shakes.

And so far, I can't find any mrps I like, so I was thinking of sticking with my ProComplex and getting some dextrose from proteinfactory.com. Good or bad idea?

Thanks GO!

Baboon...you can leave the banana in if you also add some maltodextrin or dextrose powder. You can add it to your whey like you mentioned, yes.

GAME...I think you misunderstood my post. You DO want a sugar spike post workout, however, there are certain carbs that will do this efficiently and some that will not.

The idea of simple and complex carbs is not a "simple" matter. Fructose, the sugar found in fruit, is considered a "simple" sugar, but it does NOT provide the insulin spike we are after post W.O. It is actually absorbed slowly. On the other hand, a white potato is considered a "complex" carb, however, its makeup is closer to that of table sugar and it WILL provide a good insulin spike...as will the other carbs I mentioned.

The absolute best post workout meal is a whey isolate or hydrolyzed whey(the best), combined with dextrose or maltodextrin, creatine, and glutamine peptides.

Originally posted by gopro
The absolute best post workout meal is a whey isolate or hydrolyzed whey(the best), combined with dextrose or maltodextrin, creatine, and glutamine peptides.

I ordered two pounds of dextrose from Proteinfactory.com on Tuesday, and I got it yesterday. Awesome service.

Anyway, my (and MBC's) post workout shakes now include all of this, now that we've added dextrose. Protein Factory recommends 50 to 100 grams of dextrose per shake. Does that sound right? 50g equals about one scoop using my protein scooper. And DAMN that stuff is sweet. I think I can knock out the strawberries from the shakes now.

As always, thanks gopro!!

Oh yeah, 100g dexrose contains 366 calories and 92g carbs (all sugars). YOWSERS! Can't I just eat cotton candy instead?

Baboon my freind...yes, dextrose is sweet, and no, you can't eat cotton candy!

Depending on your goals, you will want your post workout shake to contain between 30-60 grams of protein and 60-180 grams of carbs. Tell me your goals...bulk, cutting, or size without getting fat, and, how much you weigh, and I will plug in your numbers.

Originally posted by gopro
Baboon my freind...yes, dextrose is sweet, and no, you can't eat cotton candy!

Depending on your goals, you will want your post workout shake to contain between 30-60 grams of protein and 60-180 grams of carbs. Tell me your goals...bulk, cutting, or size without getting fat, and, how much you weigh, and I will plug in your numbers.

I am trying for size without getting fat (I realize that's hard to do and can take a while). I am 5'11", 183 lbs. My BF% is probably in the area of 15% (that's a guess).

I use Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex protein powder:

Product Profile:
(Chocolate shown. Slight variations may occur among flavors.)
Amount Per Serving % Daily Value
Calories 260
Calories from Fat 20
Total Fat 2 g 3%*
Saturated Fat 1 g 5%*
Cholesterol 30 mg 10%*
Total Carbohydrate 4 g 1%*
Sugars 1 g
Protein 55 g 110%*
Vitamin A 2,500 IU 50%*
Vitamin C 60 mg 100%*
Vitamin D 200 IU 50%*
Vitamin E 30 IU 100%*
Riboflavin 0.85 mg 50%*
Niacin 10 mg 50%*
Vitamin B6 1 mg 50%*
Folic Acid 140 mcg 35%*
Vitamin B12 3 mcg 50%*
Biotin 150 mcg 50%*
Pantothenic Acid 5 mg 50%*
Calcium 175 mg 18%*
Chromium 120 mcg 100%*
Sodium 290 mg 12%*
Potassium 200 mg 6%*
Proprietary Amino Acid Blend
2g
Glutamine Peptides
L-leucine
L-Isoleucine
L-Valine
Aminogen 250 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Daily Value not established.
Ingredients: Pro Complex Multi-Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate [from Ion Exchange and Cross Flow Microfiltration], Ultrafiltered Whey Protein Concentrate, Egg Albumen, Hydrolyzed Whey Peptides), Cocoa, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Lecithin, Vitamin Blend (Ascorbic Acid, Chromium GTF Polynicotinate, d-alpha Tocopheryl Succinate [Natural Vitamin E], diCalcium Phosphate, Biotin, Vitamin A Palmitate, Niacinamide, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Cholecalciferol, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Cyanocobalamin), Acesulfame Potassium, Salt, Sucralose(Splenda Brand).

Hey Baboon...ok, I would go with about double the amount of carbs as your protein. So, if you are drinking the full serving, 55 g protein, than go with about 110 g carbs. This should be your biggest protein/carb meal of the day...post workout.

Originally posted by gopro
Hey Baboon...ok, I would go with about double the amount of carbs as your protein. So, if you are drinking the full serving, 55 g protein, than go with about 110 g carbs. This should be your biggest protein/carb meal of the day...post workout.

Yup, I am drinking the full serving. It's actually up around 60g protein with the milk I add.

Honestly, I don't know if I can handle the sweetness of double the dextrose. I only used half the dose this morning (one scoop). Is it ok for me to use 55g dextrose and 55g maltodextrin? I hear the maltodextrin is not as sweet. I'll have to order more stuff anyway, because two pounds of dextrose will last about a week and a half.

Thanks for the info. This is great.

Is dextrose just plain sugar? So for a postworkout shake just put about a tablespoon of sugar in your shake?

The Game

Baboon...you can either use maltodexrin instead, or, you can get half the carbs from dextrose and half from a high GI carb like white rice, white potato, rice cakes, etc.

Game...no, table sugar is not the same as dextrose.

dextrose is a simple carb and sugar is a sinple carb, isn't it? isn't dextrose simple and maltodextrose a complex carb?

Game...don't get too caught up in "simple" and "complex" carbs. Focus more on the GLYCEMIC INDEX of carbs in this case.

For example, a baked potato is considered a "complex" carb, however, it is absorbed as quickly as some sugars!

Another example is fruits. The sugar found in fruits, fructose, is considered a "simple" carb, however, fructose is absorbed more slowly than almost all complex carbs.

In this case we are talking about dextrose and maltodextrin. They both rate at about 150 on the glycemic index...this is even higher than straight glucose! Table sugar's makeup only rates it at about 90-100 on the GI. So you see, it is not as good as dextrose, maltose, or maltodextrin at spiking insulin.

Originally posted by gopro
Baboon...you can either use maltodexrin instead, or, you can get half the carbs from dextrose and half from a high GI carb like white rice, white potato, rice cakes, etc.

Game...no, table sugar is not the same as dextrose.

So you are saying I should put a potato and some rice in my shake? (just kidding)

So it's ok to keep the shake as-is (with half the dextrose), and eat a potato with it. I can do that. The shake only keeps me full for about a half hour anyway.

YES

but it has to be a baking potato, right? (not sweet potato)

Yes...a regular white baked potato

Originally posted by gopro
Yes...a regular white baked potato

thanks. I'm so all over this stuff now!

What is a good example of dextrose?

Corn syrup is dextrose as far as i know.