Excerpts from various experts:
Insulin is only going to be anabolic at pharmacological doses administered via a poke in the arm. It has anti-catabolic effects and is only permissive when it comes to protein synthesis when an ample amount of protein is consumed in conjunction with. It actually doesn't take a high concentration to exert these effects.
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Oddly enough, up to the first 60 minutes post exercise, exercise induced translocation of GLUT-4 facilitates insulin INDEPENDENT uptake of glucose.
Insulin spiking post workout is not necessary for the vast majority.
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Well, here is what the science tells us: Increasing insulin to a range of about 15-30 mU/l will maximize your muscle protein balance (that is muscle protein synthesis minus muscle protein breakdown). This amount basically means achieving an insulin level of about 2-5 times normal fasting insulin levels.
Do you know how to achieve that level of increase? Well, you can drink pretty much any commercial protein + carb shake. You can also pretty much eat any normal protein + carb meal. Heck, even having a load of fat in that meal will still achieve the desired insulin levels for maximizing the spike for bodybuilding purposes.
Fat? Wait, I thought that fat slows down digestion and makes my hydrowhey useless?
Yes, even fat can be part of the post workout meal. If you don't believe me, take a look at this study:
Splanchnic and leg substrate exchange after ingestion of a natural mixed meal in humans. Capaldo B et. al, Diabetes. 1999 May;48(5):958-66.
They had subjects eat 600 kcal of pizza (which contained 17 grams of fat) and found that even this meal raised insulin levels to a maximum point of 5.6 times that of fasting levels two hours after ingesting them.
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Endurance athletes being glycogen depleted. Unless you are an endurance athlete or are doing high volume that needs to be repeated multiple times per day or consecutive days, glycogen depletion and speed of glycogen repletion are not significant issues. Adequate carb intake over the next 24+ hours matters more.
Protein 'spikes insulin' and has an anti-catabolic effect by itself. The effect of non-pharmacological serum hepatic IGF-1 on muscle growth beyond being perhaps permissive is debatable too. Aware yourself.
Carbs are fine. A high amount or high GI carbs are not necessary.
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Need anything else Stri8ted brah? I can keep posting current facts if you like...
