Muscle Makers

From supplements to workout programs, strength-training principles are always up for scientific debate. Interestingly, a recent article published in Amino Acids asked two fundamental questions: (1) Is eccentric exercise better than concentric exercise for muscle building, and (2) Does supplementing protein and/or carbohydrates augment muscle-building under eccentric and/or concentric exercise?  

The researchers concluded that regardless of the type of exercise, 12 weeks of strength training with whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) and WPH plus carbohydrate (CHO) supplements lead to more than a two-fold increase in muscle growth compared to taking in the same amount of supplemental calories (isocaloric) with CHO only. These findings provide a pretty clear take-home message: Whatever your training style, it’s imperative to use a high-quality whey protein supplement to achieve maximal gains.