There’s been a fair amount of attention drawn to the term “carb back-loading” recently; I get a lot of questions about it, the marketing behind it seems almost too good to be true, and it’s pitched as the answer to getting lean and jacked.  But what’s the science?  Is it legit?

Sofer S, Eliraz A, Kaplan S, Voet H, Fink G, Kima T, Madar Z.

The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Institute of Biochemistry and Food Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of a low-calorie diet with carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner on anthropometric, hunger/satiety, biochemical, and inflammatory parameters. Hormonal secretions were also evaluated. Seventy-eight police officers (BMI >30) were randomly assigned to experimental (carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner) or control weight loss diets for 6 months. On day 0, 7, 90, and 180 blood samples and hunger scores were collected every 4 h from 0800 to 2000 hours. Anthropometric measurements were collected throughout the study. Greater weight loss, abdominal circumference, and body fat mass reductions were observed in the experimental diet in comparison to controls. Hunger scores were lower and greater improvements in fasting glucose, average daily insulin concentrations, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA(IR)), T-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were observed in comparison to controls. The experimental diet modified daily leptin and adiponectin concentrations compared to those observed at baseline and to a control diet. A simple dietary manipulation of carbohydrate distribution appears to have additional benefits when compared to a conventional weight loss diet in individuals suffering from obesity. It might also be beneficial for individuals suffering from insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Further research is required to confirm and clarify the mechanisms by which this relatively simple diet approach enhances satiety, leads to better anthropometric outcomes, and achieves improved metabolic response, compared to a more conventional dietary approach.

In the simplest terms, “Carb Back-loading” is eating protein + fat in the AM and early PM, and then “loading” your carbohydrates at night.   As athletes, we all know the importance of replenishing glycogen in the PWO period.  But how does carb back-loading work for the average population, and can it work for hard-charging athletes?  Here’s some point form thoughts:

In the end, carbohydrate partitioning (a term more accurate, and one coined a long time prior to any “back-loading”) can be a valuable tool for the sedentary, the novice athlete, and the experienced athlete—it just needs to be applied in the right manner.