Pure Dextrose - Quick Source of Energy

What is it?

- Dextrose (glucose) is a simple carbohydrate, which has a high glycemic index (GI), being absorbed quickly by the body. Dextrose is used by bodybuilders and athletes to induce an insulin spike and replenish glycogen in muscle cells that is lost during training.

What is the glycemic index used for?

- The glycemic index measures the rate at which carbohydrates enter the bloodstream. The higher the glycemic index of carbohydrates, the faster they are absorbed. Dextrose is very high and is absorbed very quickly.

Carbohydrates enter the bloodstream as glucose and need to be burned as fuel for energy, stored in muscle cells as glycogen or in fat cells as triglycerides. As glucose is in the bloodstream, the body stimulates the release of a hormone called insulin, which essentially pulls glucose out of the blood and determines where it should be deposited. The glucose rates in dextrose are very high, which means that it enters our muscular and hepatic system extremely quickly and therefore stimulates a high insulin response very quickly. Insulin is a very anabolic hormone as it drives not only glucose into muscle cells, but proteins, amino acids and other essential nutrients like creatine and glutamine, etc.

Resistance training:

- While dextrose is most commonly used by people trying to gain muscle mass and weight, it can also be used by endurance athletes. Typically a lower dose will be used and taken gradually before and during training with approximately 1 liter of water.

Who can benefit?

Strength and endurance athletes as well as people looking to build muscle and gain weight will get the most out of post-workout dextrose supplementation.

How to take dextrose:

- Studies have shown that the optimal amount of dextrose needed to induce an insulin spike after training is 60-75g. Dextrose is particularly effective when mixed with creatine, whey protein and glutamine. The insulin spike created by dextrose will move nutrients from these other supplements into your muscle cells very quickly.

Dextrose for bodybuilding:

-It is a corn-derived monosaccharide that is identical in chemical structure to glucose. Bodybuilders and athletes often use dextrose after weight training to increase insulin levels and replenish muscle glycogen, which is conducive to building muscle.