Both, Protein and Carbohydrate After Workout Ineffective in Ameliorating CK-Response and Muscle Soreness After Exercise

While people keep debating, whether you need or you do not need carbs post workout, a very recent US-study (Dahlstrom Burnley. 2010) shows that neither protein nor carbs effectively protect against CK-elevation and muscle soreness following an excentric strength training session.

Figure 1: Serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activity according to treatment.
*There was no significant difference in CPK activity (ANOVA) among treatment groups.

There are however two major drawbacks to this study. Firstly, the scientists do not quantify the amount of protein or carbohydrate the subjects consumed after their strength training session. And secondly, both CK elevations, as well as muscle soreness are part of the adaptation process, we actually train for. So, if protein & carbs do not reduce these overs signs of an ongoing adaptive response, this does not have to be a bad thing.

After all, this is thus another one of those studies especially protein-phobic Drs will cite in order to convince you that your protein drink, of which they will tell you that it will kill you, does not even help with muscle gains ;-)