Does a Pre-Workout spike insulin?

[illinin09]

Insulin/Fasted Training Question

I have been on a year long recomp, and it has gone extremely well. I am now sitting at about 173-176lbs 11-12%BF, but I need to shred a bit more BF, specifically my lower abs. Have a pretty decent 4-pack but really looking to see more definition in the lower abdomen.

So I do IF, with a 12-8 feeding window, and I have been doing fasted cardio in the morning, lifting at night. Currently I take 10-15G of Amino IV on my way to the gym to do fasted cardio, and then 10-15G spread throughout the next few hours before I break the fast at noon. It has worked really well, but recently have added Yohimbine HCL to my routine, and we know that BCAA's spike insulin, and insulin blunts Yohimbine's effectiveness, and I am wondering if I am leaving some minute amount of fat loss on the table.

I take Conqu3r by Olympus Labs Preworkout before I lift at night, and am wondering if I take this before my AM fasted cardio if it would be a better solution.

So two main questions. 1- Does Conqu3r spike my insulin more or less than the Amino IV? If it does, its a wash and I will just continue taking Amino IV the way I have. If not....it leads me to my 2nd question. 2- Does Conqu3rs profile provide any anti-catabolic effects that would make taking it before fasted cardio smart for muscle sparing?

 

[bolt10]

Keep taking your BCAAs/EAAs. It isn't inhibiting your goals.

It shouldn't cause issues as the insulin spike will be mitigated by the insulin inhibiting effects of exercise. So no worries there.

 

[JXiiXViii]

I would say it depends on the type of cardio you're doing here.

If it's just brisk walking, then I personally would do it completely fasted with the Yohimbine - no aminos or anything that spikes insulin. I actually prefer brisk walking over traditional "cardio" because it isn't intense enough to burn muscle while in a fasted state. It burns almost exclusively fatty acids. You can do it every day if you want and not lose any muscle (which is why I'm assuming you're taking the aminos)

Now walking alone probably isn't gonna be enough, so 2-3 times a week hit a hard sprint session during your post-absorption state (about 3-4 hours after your last meal). This way, you're not completely fasted to where it will potentially burn muscle, but your insulin will be closer to baseline so you will get the fat burning effects from the sprints.

Keep doing the aminos around your lifting sessions though.

I know your questions were a little different, but I hope that helps.

 

[illinin09]

So does OL Conqu3r cause an insulin spike?

 

[bolt10]

Unless your pre-workout product contains high doses of Carbohydrate I wouldn't worry too much about it spiking insulin levels.

 

[JXiiXViii]

So does OL Conqu3r cause an insulin spike?

That one looks fine as there doesn't appear to be any carbs in it.

I was mainly referring to the aminos though because Leucine does cause an insulin spike - not as drastic as carbs, but it still raises it which would technically break a true fast.

 

[Distilled Water]

You're majoring in the minors here. As bolt stated, it's not as issue unless you're consuming a large amount of carbs. I got down to sub 5% drinking gobs of EAA/BCAA pre/intra/during my workout and before fated cardio

 

[JXiiXViii]

You're majoring in the minors here. As bolt stated, it's not as issue unless you're consuming a large amount of carbs. I got down to sub 5% drinking gobs of EAA/BCAA pre/intra/during my workout and before fated cardio

Without a doubt. I'm not disagreeing with you guys, just mentioning for completeness that it's not technically fasted if your blood insulin is raised.

I down BCAAs during all of my workouts too. Definitely not saying to workout without them.

You can get to sub 5% bodyfat with or without fasted cardio, BCAAs, or any other supplement. The whole fasted thing is just one method of course.

 

[Distilled Water]

Without a doubt. I'm not disagreeing with you guys, just mentioning for completeness that it's not technically fasted if your blood insulin is raised. I down BCAAs during all of my workouts too. Definitely not saying to workout without them. You can get to sub 5% bodyfat with or without fasted cardio, BCAAs, or any other supplement. The whole fasted thing is just one method obviously.

I was using it as an example of the "insulin spike" being irrelevant from aminos.