POST-RESISTANCE-EXERCISE CARBOHYDRATE SUPPLEMENTATION DOES NOT AFFECT SORENESS IN FEMALES

Campbell, J. A., Richardson, M. T., Wingo, J. E., Neggers, Y. H., Lawrence, J. C., Leeper, J. D., & Bishop, P. A. (2011). The effect of acute carbohydrate-protein supplementation following exhaustive resistance exercise in trained females. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43(5).

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This study examined the recovery capabilities and soreness responses of resistance-trained females (N = 9; 19-35 years) following three sets to failure for eight exercises without supplementation, with post-exercise consumption of a carbohydrate-protein mixture, or a carbohydrate-only beverage. Recovery was measured as the group mean number of repetitions performed using the 10 repetition-maximum for each exercise at baseline compared to the total following the three treatments. Soreness was also measured using a 100 mm visual analog scale. Twenty-four hours of passive recovery was observed between each baseline trial and the follow-up session with a seven-day washout period between each set of trials.

After 24 hours, repetitions for the carbohydrate-protein conditions were similar to both carbohydrate-only and control conditions. For all conditions, soreness after exercise was significantly higher than baseline. Mean soreness was similar for all conditions. Large inter-subject variability existed across all treatments for all variables.

Implication. Supplementation with carbohydrate-only or carbohydrate-protein does not enhance 24-hour recovery compared to a no-supplementation condition. Women were able to perform similarly to baseline in each scenario despite experiencing a significant level of soreness.

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