The Carb Timing Fix That Supercharges Recovery

Introduction

You finish a hard interval session or a long ride, shower, reply to a few messages, and then realise you have not eaten. You grab whatever is handy and promise to eat properly later. Hours pass, legs feel heavy, and tomorrow’s tempo looks daunting. Many endurance athletes nail fuelling during exercise, yet miss the single most dependable lever for next-day performance: structured carbohydrate intake in the post-exercise window. This article explains why carbs are the primary currency of recovery, how much and when to eat, how protein fits in, and how Carb Accelerator, a targeted enzyme blend, can make hitting recovery targets easier.

The Problem

Recovery is often framed as protein, sleep and mobility. Carbohydrate is treated as optional, or something to avoid late at night. For runners and cyclists this is backwards. The immediate aim after strenuous training is to restore liver and muscle glycogen so you can repeat quality work. Under-fuelling carbohydrate delays glycogen restoration, raises perceived effort in the next session, and may amplify hormonal and immune stress. Missteps usually come from three places: waiting too long to eat, under-estimating how much is required, and choosing sources that do not optimally reload both liver and muscle stores [1,4,5,7].

Science Deep Dive

Glycogen resynthesis follows a biphasic pattern. In the first 30–60 minutes after exercise there is a rapid, insulin-independent phase when glucose transporters are highly active. Later, a slower, insulin-dependent phase predominates. Delay intake and you miss the accelerated early phase, lowering the total glycogen restored over the next hours [1]. 

Dose matters. Maximal muscle glycogen resynthesis is observed when athletes consume about 1.0–1.2 g carbohydrate per kilogram of body mass per hour for the first 3–4 hours post-exercise, using moderate to high glycaemic index sources [4,5]. Across the day, typical endurance needs range from roughly 5–10+ g/kg/day depending on training load and event demands [5,6,8]. 

Carbohydrate type matters too. Muscle glycogen is preferentially restored by glucose or glucose polymers, whereas liver glycogen repletion is accelerated when fructose is included. Combining glucose with fructose, or using sucrose, engages distinct intestinal transporters (SGLT1 and GLUT5), increases total carbohydrate absorption, and speeds liver glycogen restoration, which supports euglycaemia and subsequent endurance capacity [2,3]. 

Protein has a supporting role. When carbohydrate intake falls below the optimal range, adding protein, about 0.3 g/kg per feeding, can enhance the insulin response and nudge glycogen synthesis upward, while also supporting muscle protein synthesis [9–11]. When carbohydrate is already at ~1.0–1.2 g/kg/h, co-ingesting protein does not reliably further accelerate glycogen restoration, though it still supports tissue repair. A recent meta-analysis concluded that carbohydrate–protein co-ingestion does not enhance short-term muscle glycogen resynthesis versus adequate carbohydrate alone [12]. 

Hydration and sodium complete the picture. Replacing fluid and sodium losses aids plasma volume restoration and helps normalise delivery of carbohydrate to the gut and muscle. Sodium in beverages improves fluid retention during the recovery period, particularly after long or hot sessions [6]. 

Practical Application

  1. Act quickly. Start recovery feeding within 30 minutes of finishing. If you have back-to-back sessions, have a plan rather than improvising later [1]. 

  2. Hit the target. Aim for 1.0–1.2 g/kg/h of carbohydrate for the first 3–4 hours after exhaustive training, especially when the next session is within 24 hours. For a 70 kg athlete, that is 70–84 g per hour across several small feeds [4,5]. 

  3. Use mixed carb sources. Combine glucose-rich foods (rice, bread, potatoes, maltodextrin) with a fructose source (fruit, honey, sucrose) to support both muscle and liver glycogen. Practical examples per hour:
    • 600 ml drink based on glucose polymers plus a banana and a tablespoon of honey, or
    • Jam bagel with a glass of orange juice, or
    • Recovery shake with maltodextrin and a small amount of fructose, plus fruit [2,3]. 

  4. Add protein when useful. If you cannot reach the carb target, include ~0.3 g/kg of high-quality protein per feeding to support glycogen when carbs are suboptimal and to stimulate muscle protein synthesis [9–12]. 

  5. Rehydrate with sodium. Include sodium in post-exercise fluids or foods, particularly after heavy sweating, to aid retention and restore balance [6]. 

  6. Plan the day. Across 24 hours, match total carbohydrate to training demand, roughly 5–10+ g/kg/day. On heavy or multi-session days, bias intake nearer training [5,6,8]. 

How Carb Accelerator can help

Liquid or semi-liquid recovery in the first 30 minutes is a practical way to achieve the 70–80 g per hour target without overfilling. Carb Accelerator is designed to support higher carbohydrate intakes - the enzyme blend includes amylase for starch hydrolysis, alpha-galactosidase for gas-forming oligosaccharides, lipase for fat digestion, and multiple proteases, specifically bromelain, papain, trypsin and a broad casein-active protease. These are paired with small amounts of peppermint leaf, fennel seed and ginger extract intended for digestive comfort. Together, the goal is straightforward: help you tolerate and absorb mixed macronutrients efficiently so it is easier to meet your hourly carbohydrate plan after hard training.

Two 'Carb Accelerator' supplement containers with a splash of orange liquid on a white background

Protein remains valuable for muscle repair, and especially when total carbohydrate intake is constrained. Co-ingesting ~0.3 g/kg high-quality protein in early recovery can augment the insulin response and support muscle protein synthesis. However, when you already meet ~1.0–1.2 g/kg/h carbohydrate, additional protein does not consistently speed glycogen restoration in the short term [9–12]. For athletes who struggle with appetite or find solid food heavy after intense efforts, proteases such as bromelain, papain and trypsin can accelerate protein breakdown into absorbable peptides and amino acids, potentially improving comfort alongside carbohydrate. Carb Accelerator’s protease components are included with this practical goal in mind. 

Conclusion

Carbohydrate is the primary lever for endurance recovery. Eat soon after training, hit the effective hourly dose, and choose mixed carbohydrate sources to reload both muscle and liver glycogen. Add protein when carbohydrate is limited, and do not neglect fluids and sodium. With the right plan and good digestive support, recovery becomes a reproducible protocol that protects the quality of your next session.

References

  1. Ivy JL, Katz AL, Cutler CL, Sherman WM, Coyle EF. Muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise: effect of time of carbohydrate ingestion. J Appl Physiol. 1988;64(4):1480–1485. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3132449/

  2. González JT, Fuchs CJ, Betts JA, van Loon LJC. Glucose plus fructose ingestion for post-exercise recovery: greater than the sum of its parts? Nutrients. 2017;9(5):344. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5409683/

  3. Décombaz J, Jentjens RL, et al. Fructose and galactose enhance postexercise human liver glycogen synthesis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94(3): 846–856. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21407126/

  4. Burke LM. Carbohydrates for training and competition. J Sports Sci. 2011;29(S1):S17–S27. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21660838/

  5. Burke LM, Cox GR, Cummings NK, Desbrow B. Guidelines for daily carbohydrate intake: do athletes achieve them? Sports Med. 2001;31(4):267–299. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11310548/

  6. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543–568. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26891166/

  7. Podlogar T, et al. Post-exercise fructose–maltodextrin and subsequent endurance capacity. Front Nutr. 2020;7:82. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2020.00082/full

  8. Burke LM, Hawley JA, Wong SHS, Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrates for training and competition. J Sports Sci. 2011;29(S1):S17–S27. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21660838/

  9. Howarth KR, Moreau NA, Phillips SM, Gibala MJ. Coingestion of protein with carbohydrate during recovery from endurance exercise stimulates skeletal muscle protein synthesis in humans. J Appl Physiol. 2009;106(4):1394–1402. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.90333.2008

  10. Margolis LM, Pasiakos SM. Coingestion of carbohydrate and protein on muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise: a meta-analysis. Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2457. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7803445/

  11. Saunders MJ. Carbohydrate–protein intake and recovery from endurance exercise. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2011;10(4):202–209. https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/fulltext/2011/07000/carbohydrate_protein_intake_and_recovery_from.10.aspx

  12. Craven J, Cox Z, Desbrow B, et al. Co-ingestion of protein with carbohydrate does not enhance short-term muscle glycogen re-synthesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med Open. 2021;7:6. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40798-020-00297-0

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