Welcome to the Expert Q&A Section for July 2007. There's no arguement that your diet plays a vital role in muscle development. In this section of the magazine, our resident diet expert Doug Lawrenson answers a question sent in by one of our subscribers or forum members. If you have question you would like Doug to answer here, head over to our muscle building forum and post your question in this thread.

July Diet&Nutrition Question:

I hear the term “Glycemic Index” and how is glucose used in the body?

Answer:

Glycemic index is the rate of carbohydrate digestion and its effects on the rise in blood glucose. Foods that digest rapidly and cause a pronounced rise in blood sugar have a high glycemic index, whereas those foods digested and absorbed more slowly, because of fibre or fat, have a low glycemic index. Foods that have a high index include sugar, honey, corn, white bread, refined cereals, and baked potatoes. Moderate glycemic index foods include pasta, whole grain breads, rice, oatmeal, bran, peas. Low glycemic foods include beans, lentils, and fruits such as apples, peaches, and grapefruit. High index foods lead to a rapid rise in blood sugar and a greater rise in insulin, the hormone responsible for lowering blood glucose.

After a meal, absorbed sugars are taken up by blood, heart, skeletal muscle and liver in that order. When blood sugar levels are restored heart and skeletal muscles accept glucose. The constantly working heart uses glucose for energy, while the skeletal muscle can store glucose for use when energy is needed. Granules of stored glucose are called muscle glycogen. The liver accepts the simple sugars from the blood and stores them as glycogen. When sufficient glucose has been stored in the liver the leftover glucose suppresses fat oxidation and is itself used for energy. An excess intake of carbohydrates does not become a supply of “quick energy”; it is oxidized thereby conserving fat. The glucose stored in the liver is readily available when needed, but muscle glycogen can be used directly only by the muscle in which it is stored. Blood glucose is also used by nerves, muscles or other tissues in need of energy.

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About Doug Lawrenson:

Doug Lawrenson is our resident diet guru & fitness over on the Muscle&Strength Forum. Doug has had experience as a bodybuilder, coach and judge at national competition level. If you have questions for Doug or need some advice you can chat to Doug on the forum. Doug is on the forum almost every day!

Doug has written some in-depth and informative articles that have been featured on Muscle&Strength.com. To read some of his articles, check out the diet & nutrition articles section of this this website.