Performance
B · Reasonable confidenceDo carbohydrates just before or during strength training help?
Subject: The Ergogenic Effects of Acute Carbohydrate Feeding on Resistance Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
What this means
Taking carbohydrates around strength training led to more total training volume than a placebo. The effect was clearer in sessions longer than 45 minutes and after fasting 8 hours or more.
King A, Helms E, Zinn C, Jukic I · 2022 · Sports Medicine
What does this rating mean?
A solid systematic review with caveats, or consistent indications with a limited scope.
Findings
Carbohydrate intake before or during resistance training increased total session training volume (standardised mean difference 0.61), especially in sessions longer than 45 minutes (1.02) and after fasting for at least 8 hours (0.39). The number of maximal-effort sets moderated the effect; dose and load used did not.
Who this applies to
Healthy people doing strength training, with carbohydrates compared to a placebo or water only.
Size of the research
Twenty-one studies with 226 participants in total.
What to keep in mind
The studies looked at the effect within a single training session. The amount of carbohydrate made no difference to the effect. The individual studies were small.
Practical conclusion for REZA
For long, high-volume strength sessions, carbohydrate intake beforehand can give a small performance edge — not necessary for short sessions.
View method and source
Methodology
Meta-analysis
Population
21 crossover studies with 226 healthy participants
Intervention
Carbohydrate ingestion before/during resistance exercise vs placebo
Outcome measures
Resistance exercise performance (volume, reps, load)
Limitations
Small studies; acute single-session outcomes only; varying doses and timing.
Original source
DOI: 10.1007/s40279-022-01716-w · PMID: 35809162
View on PubMed →Order of same-day concurrent training influences some indices of power development, but not strength, lean mass, or aerobic fitness in healthy, moderately-active men after 9 weeks of training
Next study →Effects of Variations in Resistance Training Frequency on Strength Development in Well-Trained Populations and Implications for In-Season Athlete Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
This information is general education about scientific research. It is not personal medical advice and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a doctor or other healthcare professional. If you have symptoms, a medical condition or take medication, consult your GP or treating professional before changing your training or nutrition.