Here is something I found on the net regarding GH being suppressed by high insulin levels:

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GH and Diet
It's interesting that the study mentioned above that high fasting insulin suppresses GH secretion. Most bodybuilders when preparing for a competition always start cutting back on excess carbohydrates and consume yams and brown rice which are high in fiber and reduce the rate at which insulin is secreted. Diet influence's GH secretion; diets that are high in carbohydrates can lead to a blunted GH response. <b>Excessive amounts of carbohydrates stimulate excessive insulin release by the pancreas. Reducing carbohydrates will lower insulin which will increase GH, epinephrine and glucagon secretion, all of which mobilize bodyfat stores.</b> The most important point in regards to GH and diet is that GH levels increase when insulin levels are low. More precisely, the cause of GH inhibition is not high insulin levels but rather high blood sugar (which, because insulin is secreted to bring down blood sugar level, overlaps in time with high insulin levels. But it should be noted that it is not just any food that causes a rise in blood sugar and the consequent insulin release, but primary high glycemic carbohydrates. And some kinds of carbs cause a greater blood sugar increase than others. Eating a large amount of carbs at once will cause a greater increase in blood sugar levels than eating a small amount of carbs. Also, eating fat with carbs will blunt the rise in blood sugar. What this means is, consuming a large amount of high glycemic carbs by themselves could completely halt GH release. Or more generally, a high carbohydrate, low fat diet is absolutely devastating to GH levels. This is one of the reasons why many people trying to lose weight on a low fat, high carbohydrate diet reach a diet "plateau" after a period of time. Their inability to continue to lose weight is partly due to suppressed GH levels from excess carbohydrates. It should be mentioned that you do need some carbohydrates and going on a Low Carb diet could lead to decreases in muscle as well as fat. The reason for his could be that a strict low carb diet would lead to chronically low insulin levels; <b>insulin is needed to drive Amino Acids into the muscle cells.</b> Moreover, IGF-1 is produced in the body through the combined actions of GH and insulin. A Low Carb diet would lead to a reduction in IGF-1 levels. You do need some carbohydrates but just start cutting out soft drinks, sweets, and other high glycemic carbohydrate foods.
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So, it seems that if your goal is fat loss, you don't want GH to be suppressed because of the benefits it has on fat loss. But it might seem that if your goal is gaining muscle, you might want insulin increased (which suppresses GH).

Like I said, it looks like there is a trade-off going on here. Having a Zone snack post exercise might be great for fat loss, but it might not be as good for muscle gains.

I found an answer by Dr. Bowden that somewhat addresses the issue in one of his "Question of Nutrition" articles at the testosterone website, but he doesn't go into much detail.

What a Load!

Q: I read that the glycemic index is overrated and that what we should really be paying attention to is glycemic load. What's the difference?

A: The glycemic index is overrated. You should be paying attention to glycemic load. There's a big difference. Here's the scoop:

Glycemic index is a way of measuring the impact a given amount of carbohydrate has on your blood sugar, something you definitely want to know. But to do a fair comparison, they have to use a fixed amount. In the case of the glycemic index, it's a standard 50 grams of carbohydrate.

Problem is, very few carbohydrate foods in real life are 50-gram portions.

See, if you go to a store to buy spices and there's a spice that's $500 a pound, that sure sounds like a lot of money. But if you're only buying a half-teaspoon of the stuff, it's pretty irrelevant. You want to know what you're going to pay at the register, not necessarily what you'd pay if you bought a pound.

Similarly, you really don't care what the impact of 50 grams is on your blood sugar; you care what the impact of the amount you're actually eating is.

Glycemic load is a more sophisticated formula that takes into account the actual grams of carbs you're eating -- the portion size. The glycemic index of carrots is high, leading a lot of people to think you should never eat carrots, which is a dumb conclusion. Fact is, the average carrot has 3 grams of carbs. You'd have to eat like a giant rabbit to have a significant impact on your blood sugar.

The glycemic load of a carrot, on the other hand, is only 3, making it an extremely low-glycemic food -- unless you're drinking pure carrot juice or eating 13 carrots at a sitting.

Pasta, on the other hand, has a moderate glycemic index, but is almost never eaten in 50-gram portions. Factor in the portion size at a typical Olive Garden and your blood sugar will be on the roof, and stay there for a week. Not surprisingly, the glycemic load of pasta is very high.

The technical formula for glycemic load is GI (glycemic index), multiplied by the number of grams of carbohydrates in the portion, then divided by 100. Low glycemic load is between 1 and 10, medium is between 10 and 20, and anything over 20 is very high.

That said, remember that both glycemic index and glycemic load only refer to the food eaten alone. Add some fat or protein and the total impact goes down. And plenty of high-glycemic foods are good for you (say, carrot juice) while plenty of low-glycemic foods (fried donut holes) are not.

So take glycemic load into account, but don't be a slave to it. It's just one measurement to consider when planning a diet.

Incidentally, athletes in training actually can benefit from high-glycemic foods, especially when they're training twice a day. Mrs. Smith with Metabolic Syndrome... not so much!

Here is another excerpt that "sorta" addresses the question:

Fake "Health" Foods

Q: What's a food that dedicated gym-goers eat that they shouldn't eat? In other words, what's a common "pretend" health food?

A: I thought this was a terrific question to put to my informal panel of experts, and not one of them hesitated to render an opinion, all of them good ones.

Gregg Avedon, one of the world's most successful fitness models, singled out sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade. "They're designed for endurance athletes and pro-athletes who burn crazy calories and deplete muscle glycogen very quickly at a very high level, yet you've got the average fitness enthusiast training at a mid- to low-level range drinking these beverages without thinking twice."

***The implication here (when read in the context of the other answer) is that for serious athletes, high GI carbs can be a very good thing during and following intense training.

Found another tidbit from Dr. Jonny Bowden on the subject (I continue to cite him because of his association with Dr. Sears):

http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com...g-out.html

How Soon Should I Eat After Working Out?

By:
Jonny Bowden
Question :

Is it true that I should refrain from eating for two hours after a workout? Also, the instructors at my gym told me that I should only eat protein after a workout -- that if I eat carbohydrates or fat, I'll gain weight. Is that true?
Answer :

The information about not eating after a workout is completely wrong. Every responsible source in bodybuilding and athletics recommends that you eat after training, and preferably within 45 minutes (maybe up to 60) after a workout. This period, known as the golden hour, is when the muscles absorb the most nutrients and when glycogen, an energy reserve in your muscles, is replaced most efficiently. The actual composition of the post-workout meal is a matter of some debate; for optimal glycogen replacement, most people recommend carbohydrates, but a certain amount of protein (at least 10 percent of the meal) is needed for muscle repair and growth.

I think the above recommendation is a good general guideline for athletes, but for weight management you probably have to go higher in protein and lower in carbs. You don't have to eat a big meal, but you should eat something after training. Lots of people get good results with a small, high-protein shake -- just beware of the extremely high sugar and carb content of juice-based smoothies. Experiment with the amount of food or drink and with the proportions of carbs, protein and fat to find out what works best for you.

Perhaps what the trainers at your gym are trying to emphasize is the need to moderate carbohydrate intake in a weight-loss program. They correctly want to see you become a "better butter burner," that is, someone whose metabolism burns fat faster and more efficiently. That is best accomplished by eating a nutritionally dense, low-calorie diet that offers a balance of protein, high-quality fat and the right kind of carbohydrates. This will keep your hormones balanced and your fat-burning machinery working optimally. I agree that you shouldn't load up on carbs and fat after a workout, but the idea of not eating anything at all for two hours after working out is balderdash.

Okay, I am getting more convinced that I am right about post exercise nutrition being a high GI carb + protein in a 4:1 ratio.

I was doing a search of things written by Dr. Bowden on the subject and came across google books which had an except from Dr. Bowden's book, "The 150 Greatest Ways to Boost Your Energy". In it, he discusses during exercise and post-exercise nutrition for athletes and recommends a product called "Accelerade". I looked up Accelerade on the internet and looked at its nutritional information. One serving (12 oz.) has 120 calories with only 10 of those calories from fat. It contains 21 g of carbs and 20 grams of those ARE SUGARS!!! How much protein? 5 grams... notice something about the ratio? Approximately 4:1 again... And this is advice given by a low carb guru and colleague of Dr. Sears!!!

Here is a link to the excerpt from the book: http://books.google.com/books?id=rj...0#PPA71,M1

Here is a link to the nutritional content of Accelerade: http://www.accelerade.com/products/...ation.aspx

Here is a section from the Accelerade website on "How Accelerade Works"


How it Works (4:1)

In 1997, six of the country's top exercise physiologists convened with the goal of developing the next generation of sports drinks. Out of this symposium came Accelerade - the first sports drink to contain carbohydrates in combination with protein in a patented 4:1 ratio. That's a ratio that research has shown is ideal. Because while protein is key, the amount of protein is what's important. Too much, and it can't be processed by the body. Too little, and it won't work like it needs to.

Simply, the science behind the ratio is what takes you beyond rehydration straight to peak performance.
Recovery, the key to peak performance

If rehydration were the only factor to enhancing performance, a conventional sports drink would be enough. But athletes don't just need to rehydrate, their muscles need to recover, too. Protein speeds muscle recovery.

During prolonged exercise, the body breaks down muscle to meet energy needs. Research has shown that consuming a carbohydrate-protein sports drink during exercise can minimize muscle breakdown [8, 9], may aid in supporting muscle synthesis [8], and improve protein balance [8, 9]. In contrast, a conventional sport drink during exercise resulted in an increase in muscle breakdown and a decrease in synthesis which is definitely not optimal for athletes [8].

Why is this important? It is crucial for endurance athletes to maintain lean muscle mass during training and competition to maximize performance. Therefore, a carbohydrate-protein sports drink can aid in maintaining protein balance which helps to maintain muscle mass.

What athlete doesn't want to recover quicker? That's why the protein in Accelerade helps start the rebuilding process of muscles damaged during exercise.

The ability of any athlete to perform at their best is directly related to how fast their muscles recover after exercise. Protein-enhanced Accelerade gives muscles a jump-start on getting back to peak performance. In fact, Accelerade has been shown to significantly reduce muscle damage following exercise. Compared to a conventional sports drink, it minimizes muscle soreness.

In 2004 and 2006, researchers at James Madison University studied post-exercise muscle damage in cyclists who drank Accelerade or a conventional sports drink while riding a stationary bicycle to exhaustion by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and/or creatine kinase (CK) levels, biomarkers of muscle damage [10, 11]. In both studies, athletes who drank Accelerade during exercise experienced a reduction in musclular damage (evidenced by lower LDH and/or CK plasma values) then when drinking the conventional drink. Athletes who drank Accelerade also reported a decrease in muscle soreness 24 hours after exercise [11].

Why drink Accelerade? Accelerade helps to speed up the recovery process by reducing muscle damage and also decreases soreness that can occur with endurance exercise. Accelerade is beneficial during and also after exercise to enable the athlete to perform at his/her best later on that same day or days following.

1. Brooks, G.A. and J. Mercier. J Appl Physiol, 1994. 76(6): p. 2253-61.
2. Dohm, G.L. Exerc Sport Sci Rev, 1986. 14: p. 143-73.
3. Lemon, P.W. and J.P. Mullin. J Appl Physiol, 1980. 48(4): p. 624-9.
4. van Hall, G., et al.. J Physiol, 1996. 494 ( Pt 3): p. 899-905.
5. Romijn, J.A., et al. Am J Physiol, 1993. 265(3 Pt 1): p. E380-91.
6. Manore, M. and J. Thompson. Sport Nutrition for Health and Performance. 2000, Human Kinetics: Champaign. p. 21-61.
7. Seifert, J., J. Harmon, and P. DeClercq. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2006. 16(4): p. 420-9.
8. Koopman, R., et al. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 2004. 287(4): p. E712-20.
9. Miller, S.L., et al., Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2007. In press.
10. Saunders, M.J., M.D. Kane, and M.K. Todd. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2004. 36(7): p. 1233-8.
11. Romano-Ely, B.C., et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2006. 38(9): p. 1608-16.

http://www.accelerade.com/science/H...Works.aspx

There is also a link to the studies supporting the claims so that you can read them yourself:

http://www.accelerade.com/science/C...udies.aspx

<div class='NTForums_Quote'>***The implication here (when read in the context of the other answer) is that for serious athletes, high GI carbs can be a very good thing during and following intense training.</div>

Matthew, I think it is more a factor of what an athlete does than how "serious" they are about it.

I've heard Tory Polamalu speak out against Gatorade (he's a Zoner).

I think he's a pretty "serious" athlete by any definition imaginable.

Put him on a bike and have him pedal for 8 hours a day, though, and he'll appreciate some Gatorade (along with some protein and some good fats).

Same thing with Dean Karnazes. When he's running marathons, even 50 in 50 days, he probably can stay pretty close to a traditional Zone - even though he's serious about his effort. Have him set off on a 150 mile run, though, and out come the cheese pizzas. it isn't that one effort is more serious than another, it is just that he's doing different things that require different nutritional inputs to optimize performance.

Thanks to all of you for your contributions. Matthew, you were very informative.

So as a recap, (way too much for me to read on this thread right now) it is suggested that those trying to gain weight and lean mass should up the fat intake?

I'm about 6'4" 178 lbs (dropped from 185-190 in the last month or so) and BFP is 10-12%. I lift 4-5 days a week (mostly bodyweight lifts but always compound/multi joint movements) and I used to run but I stopped so that I'd stop losing weight. I would love to add my runs back in but I need to find a way to add some lean body mass. I'm eating between 18-20 blocks a day and its just not doing it for me. Any suggestions?

Hi Kyle!

To gain LBM, make sure you're using the appropriate activity level to calculate blocks, and then add a block or two of additional protein daily, balanced appropriately for the Zone with carb and fat (with a couple extra balanced blocks it's a total in the vicinity of 21-23 blocks daily in your case, depending on your actual body fat% and activity level). To maintain body fat in the Zone (or to gain body fat if it goes too low) you would add extra fat to meals and snacks. If you're in the situation where you're eating the correct amount of protein for you needs but still seem to lack energy for workouts, you would also add more monounsaturated fat to meal and snacks.

Matthew, The "article" quoted by Cranberry Cat can be found on p. 103 in Sear's "Anti_Inflammation Zone". Are you saying Zoners are being misled?
Jill