Low carb diet and muscle gain
 

This is posted in the LC media/research forum but I'm not sure how many people that regularly visit this forum would read it. I think it's worth reading.

http://thefactsaboutfitness.com/print/20jun2004.htm

I think that the question is... If a person wants to gain muscle, without gaining fat, what is the best way to do it? To gain muscle quickly, one probably has to maintain a calorie surplus. That surplus with high-ish carbs does build muscle, but it also seems to put on fat.
Perhaps the calorie surplus on a LC diet would result in muscle gain without the fat.
This study suggests that it might be possible, but does not directly answer the question. The LC eaters gained 2 lbs M. and lost 7 lbs F., resulting in a net loss of 5 lbs. In other words they did not eat enough calories to answer my question. If they would have eaten enough calories from protein and fat, that they did not lose any fat... how much muscle would they have gained?? And how would that compare to a higher carb diet at the same calorie level?

I agree that eating higher carbs 'seems' to be good for muscle growth... but there are other factors to consider. The carbs increase muscle volume because of glycogen and it's ability to hold water in the muscle. This looks good but does not represent actual muscle fiber growth. Anyone could achieve this state temporarily by binging on carbs for a few days.

I would like to see more studies about the 'best' diet for muscle growth while keeping calories high enough that fat loss does not occur.

Good article, raises more questions than it has answers. It seems to validate keto diets as being protein-sparing for sure, and possibly muscle-growing and fat loss simultaneously, though we're told that is a rare occurrence.

I think you're looking for a study that compares hyper-caloric diets and muscle growth/fat growth. I'm sure it is out there somewhere... I'm not good at medline searches though.

Interesting article

Jag

Very intresting article! Thank you for posting!! :)

i'm currently bulking on low carb and i didn't think it would work but it's been AWESOME! i haven't gained much fat AT ALL (read: virtually none compared to 10lbs)compared to high carb bulks i've done in the past. HUGE thumbs up to the low carb bulk from me.

agree
 

I'm currently having the same experience. The last two times I cycled my calories high for a couple weeks I experienced virtually no fat gain. My muscles looked fuller so I assume that means I did gain muscle. I need more time to know for sure. I do 2 carbloads/week (NHE) ((I finally bought the book!))

I'm basically doing the NHE bodybuilder program except that I'm counting/cycling calories. (as outlined in my journal) I allow myself to go over on carbup days... the overage always comes from relatively clean starchy carbs.

wow...great article MPS! thanks for posting that......from my experience earlier this year, i was doing CKD and i was getting so frustrated cus i never saw the scale move much, except for when getting in and out of ketosis that is.....but the scale never moved...my pants were getting more loose but not a budge on the scale....the only thing i could think off was that i was working really hard in the gym (read not to CKD plan of 60-70% of one max rep :D ) and added some muscle, not really sure why i was pushing myself in the gym so hard but i was and i was surprised to see actual gains in my lifts while on CKD! fat loss AND building muscle?!?! it's not scientific but i'll take it! :lol: