Study: Muscle Mass Preserved On Low-Carb Diet

A new study on the relationship between a very low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet and muscle mass found that such a nutritional approach has been found to actually PRESERVE, not damage the muscle as once believed.

Published in the latest issue of the scientific journal Nutrition & Metabolism, nutrition researcher Anssi H. Manninen from the University of Kuopio Medical School in Finland intently studied the effects of a very low-carb diet (defined as 10g carbs per day) on muscle mass and found that fat burning is maximized while muscle mass does not diminish.

This conclusion of this study by Manninen coincides perfectly with a previous study conducted by Dr. Donald Layman who found in a published journal paper in August 2005 that the women in his study who ate a low-carb, high-protein diet had more productive workouts by burning more fat and building more muscle mass than those who ate a low-protein, high-carb diet.


I was privileged to meet Dr. Layman in Brooklyn, NY recently

Manninen has four theories that may explain why muscle mass is preserved on a low-carb diet:

1. ADRENALINE

An increase in adrenaline may stimulate the production of muscle mass and protect existing muscle mass.

2. KETONES

The liver produces ketones as part of a low-carb diet and those ketones can act as a restraining influence on muscle protein breakdown. The existence of fatty acids and ketones can actually suppress the oxidation of the amino acids that can cause damage to muscles.

3. GROWTH HORMONE

Very low-carb diets increase growth hormone levels, which regulates growth and development.

4. DIETARY PROTEIN

A low-carb diet is generally higher in protein, which during weight loss helps you burn fat while reducing the loss of muscle mass.

What do you think about Anssi H. Manninen's conclusions about a low-carb diet and the preservation of muscle mass? You can e-mail him about it directly at sportsnutrition@luukku.com.