Are Carbs Required For Muscle Gain? Carnivore Diet Carbs Advice
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According to the top muscle building and protein synthesis researchers carbohydrates are not necessary to build muscle mass. I know this sounds strange as we hear in the gym all the time that we need to “carb-up” to get those gains!
Also, generally speaking, a lot of people are under the impression that it’s not possible to gain muscle mass on a carnivore diet or ketogenic diet for that matter because of the lack of carbs. It turns out that this is definitely not the case.
In fact we could make a case that the advise to bulk up on carbohydrates could be morally and physically damaging as some newbie strength trainers over do the carbs, become addicted, have metabolic challenges and become obese.
Carnivore Diet
If the carnivore diet is new to you here is a quick introduction. Basically you eat only meat and animal-based products. You know, meat, eggs, and dairy.
Although dairy is not suitable for people that have lactose intolerance or other related allergies like histamine intolerance.
If you are brand spanking new to the carnivore diet I suggest checking out this article when you are done reading.
What can you drink on a carnivore diet? Basically water. I know that part seems boring but after a while, you can get used to it.
But…
There are however a few hacks to drinking not only water and that’s why we wrote this article to help you out.
2 Reasons for Building Muscles and Increasing Strength
Flat out people look better when they are in shape and have good muscle definition. It’s a part of human biology to attract the other sex and this one way to do that.
If you are overweight then using the combination of the carnivore diet and weight training may be a fantastic combination to shed fat and get shredded regardless if male or female.
The other and more important reason is that strength is correlated with longevity. If you are strong and limber then chances are you will live a longer and more enjoyable life.
Let’s build today to enjoy tomorrow!
What’s Up With Carbs? Don’t We Need Them?
Let’s try to tackle the myth that says in order to build muscles you need carbs!
From what I have found this is really not the case. Building muscle has to do with protein synthesis and studies have been around since the late 1960s showing this.
Thomas Delauer, a YouTube personality and proponent of the ketogenic diet likes to point to these studies in order to show how humans don’t need carbohydrates to build muscle.
Study #1
- Carbohydrate does not augment exercise-induced protein accretion versus protein alone.
- This study took 9 men and divided them into 2 groups. Group 1 consumed 25 grams of protein and no carbohydrates. Group 2 consumed 25 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrates.
- Both groups performed the same leg extension exercise for the duration of the study.
- Conclusion after reviewing muscle biopsy revealed each group had the same amount of protein synthesis. The group with carbohydrates had increased insulin spikes but that wasn’t a factor for the protein synthesis
Study #2
- Coingestion of carbohydrate with protein does not further augment post exercise muscle protein synthesis.
- This study took 10 men and ran them through different sets of resistance exercises.
- Post-workout they were given different amounts of protein and carbohydrates.
- The study concluded by saying, “in conclusion, coingestion of carbohydrate during recovery does not further stimulate postexercise muscle protein synthesis when ample protein is ingested.”
- Basically adding carbohydrates doesn’t change protein synthesis.
Study #3
- Effect of Amino Acids and Proteins on Insulin Secretion in Man
- This study shows that protein and leucine is able to spike insulin and insulin promotes growth
- The body doesn’t need carbohydrates to spike insulin
- Leucine is a trigger for protein synthesis
Bulk Up Carnivore Style
While studying Dr. Shawn Baker’s book “The Carnivore Diet” and his extensive You Tube channel I was able to gain knowledge on how the carnivore diet works with building strength and muscle mass.
We should also know that Dr. Shawn Baker is an all-natural strength athlete, (steroid-free), and has world records in rowing.
If you follow his social media you will see that he knows how to workout and is well versed in strength and diet.
Dr. Baker specifically says you don’t need carbohydrates to build muscle and strength.
He likes to point to something that has been recently studied called androgen receptor sensitivity. This study shows that carbohydrates and testosterone play a lesser roll in the production of muscle and strength but what matters is the amount of androgen receptors.
Androgen Receptor and Hormone Study
- Muscle Androgen Receptor Content but Not Systemic Hormones Is Associated With Resistance Training-Induced Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Healthy, Young Men
- This study showed the amount of testosterone or other hormone factors were not the reason for increased muscle mass but rather the androgen receptors and density did.
- The more androgen receptors the more propensity to grow muscle.
Dr. Baker’s Carnivore Recommendations
Dr. Baker also says that the amount of insulin you get by consuming protein from meat is sufficient. If eating copious amounts of meat you will have proper insulin spikes.
With regards to Leucine he believes 2.5 to 3 grams per meal is a good trigger point for mTOR protein synthesis. The mTOR is a serine-threonine protein kinase that regulates protein biosynthesis and cell growth. This is what helps muscle grow and increases in strength.
When it comes to resistance training and building muscles Dr. Baker uses a standard guideline. Use heavier weights, somewhere close to 40% of your one-rep max. Try to lift to failure.
Calories play a huge roll. In order to make muscle gains you really need to have a caloric overload.
Obese people have an easier time with building muscle but us non-obese really have to eat a lot of meat which can be challenging.
Personally I have to eat more frequently and force myself if I want to make any noticeable gains.
Get more androgen receptors. How? Although debatable, Dr. Baker says to make sure you are eating carnitine. The cool thing is that carnitine is found abundantly in meats.
| Food | Milligrams (mg) |
|---|---|
| Beef steak, cooked, 4 ounces | 56–162 |
| Ground beef, cooked, 4 ounces | 87–99 |
| Milk, whole, 1 cup | 8 |
| Codfish, cooked, 4 ounces | 4–7 |
Creatine Factor
Almost everyone knows creatine is an essential compound for strength and muscle gains…in fact it has been shown to possibly help with intelligence, memory and reaction time.
Creatine, found in meat, helps the body store energy and recycle Adenosine triphosphate known as ATP. Together they are essential for muscle function.
Also our muscles use ATP in contraction and the repair of our genetic material…we are talking DNA, brain cells, and muscles.
Within the book, “The Carnivore Code” written by Dr. Paul Saladino he mentions that we can create a small amount of creatine endogenously, (within our body.) However it’s not enough for optimal performance.
Dr. Saladino uses two studies in his book to show the inferiority of a vegetarian diet when it comes to creatine and performance.
- Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials
- This study took 45 vegetarians and gave them five grams of creatine per day which is the equivalent of creatine found in one pound of red meat.
- After 6 weeks they concluded this enhanced their mental performance.
This study concluded by saying, “Creatine supplementation had a significant positive effect on both working memory and intelligence…(and) these findings underline a dynamic and significant role of brain energy capacity in influencing brain performance.”
- Effect of creatine and weight training on muscle creatine and performance in vegetarians.
- This study took 128 females and had them supplement 20 grams of creatine over 5 days. This also showed improved brain performance.
- The study also hypothesized that meat-eaters have adequate creatine stores
- They also note that people with inadequate creatine stores had decreased strength and explosiveness.
- The vegetarians in the study benefited most from the supplementation most likely because their diets didn’t have enough creatine in them.
- Also at baseline when measuring creatine in the body the vegetarians had less in their muscles.
The researchers concluded with this statement, “these findings confirm an ergogenic effect of creatine during resistance training and suggest that subjects with initially low levels of intramuscular creatine, (vegetarians) are more responsive to supplementation.”
Here is another study on creatine and how it relates to resistance training.
- Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance.
- This study looked at 22 previous studies having to do with creatine and formed a conclusion on the effects of creatine supplementation and use.
- According to the researchers, “of the 22 studies reviewed, the average increase in muscle strength following creatine supplementation plus resistance training was 8% greater than the average increase in muscle strength following placebo ingestion during resistance training.”
- “The average increase in weightlifting performance following creatine supplementation plus resistance training was 14% greater than the average increase in weightlifting performance following placebo ingestion during resistance training.”
- They concluded by saying creatine supplementation during resistance training improves strength and weightlifting performance although the gains are different for everyone.
Which brings us to a question? Should those of us on the carnivore diet supplement with creatine? Some say yes and others say no.
The carnivores that say “no” believe that if you adhere to a carnivore diet you will ingest enough. What’s enough? Some bodybuilders say around 5 grams or more depending on body size per day.
| Meat/Food | grams/pound | grams/kilogram |
| Pork | 2.3 | 5.0 |
| Cod | 1.4 | 3.0 |
| Beef | 2.0 | 4.5 |
| Herring | 3-4.5 | 6.5-10 |
| Milk | .05 | .1 |
| Salmon | 2.0 | 4.5 |
| Shrimp | Trace Amount | Trace Amount |
| Tuna | 1.8 | 4.0 |
| Fruits/Veggies | Trace Amount | Trace Amount |
How do we get 5 grams? Eat a bunch of meat or supplement if unable to get the desired amount through eating.
If you go the supplement route you will need to use a stronger dose (around 25 grams) for the first two weeks and after that you can reduce dosage according to their recommendations.
Most bodybuilders recommend the Jarrow Brand as it’s apparently one of the cleanest and pure you can find. Theirs is a purely Creatine Monohydrate which contains 6 grams per each scoop.
I’ve used this brand in the past with great success. (Amazon Link Below)
What About Powerlifting?
Similar approaches apply to powerlifting and we wrote an entire article dedicated to the carnivore diet and if it is a suitable way of eating to gain strength. Check out:
The Challenges with the Carnivore Diet and Muscle Gain
Most people that have a hard time gaining muscle mass on the carnivore challenge complain that they aren’t able to eat a surplus of calories because they become satiated too quickly.
Also the carnivore diet lacks hyper palatability which means meat is a little blander and doesn’t allow for overeating as easily as say Doritos or anything with seasoning, etc.
See what I mean…it’s easy to over things with carbs, seasonings, and artificial flavoring and in fact that’s the way the food processors designed it.
That’s my main issue with the carnivore diet. It’s really hard for me to eat enough calories but I do have a few hacks for this.
- Count Calories and Weigh Food to get an understanding of how much you would need per day
- Count Protein. About 1 gram of protein to each pound of body weight is a good start according to Dr. Shawn Baker
- Drink Raw Milk if you can tolerate it. However milk has lactose which is an irritant and inflammatory for most people and it’s a sugar.
- Stimulate your appetite. Add a small amount of seasoning if you can tolerate it. Personally I found out I don’t tolerate a lot of seasonings (Cumin/Paprika, etc.) so I can only use small amounts of pepper.
Conclusion
As you can see it is very possible to gain muscle mass on a carnivore diet and it may be a good time to ditch the protein powders. There are nuances throughout and not just this diet but probably every diet from paleo to keto.
From what the carnivore doctors say and some of the studies out there, carbs aren’t needed for muscle building. And depending on how you structure your carnivore diet chances are you are going to have more protein intake than say a keto diet.
If this is the route you’re interested in just be sure you have a caloric surplus and not a deficit as then it’s going to be hard to gain muscle.
I should also mention that there are plenty of athletes that ask if a carnivore diet is suitable for endurance sports. The answer is yes as there are already numerous world-renowned athletes using a carnivore diet as a way of improving times and endurance.
We dove really deep on the subject so check out this article:
Community
If you are new to the carnivore diet the continue searching this site. We have numerous articles dedicated to the keto and carnivore diet.
We also advise checking out The World Carnivore Tribe on Facebook. It’s an amazing group of carnivores, newbies to veterans and all willing to answer questions you may have.
If you are looking for some amazing testimonials then check out MeatRX. Here you will find a plethora of information and testimonials.
Here are recent articles which can help answer your carnivore diet questions and point you in the right direction:
- Are “Cheat Days” Allowed on the Carnivore Diet?
- 7 Best Carnivore Diet Supplements | Reviewed and Tested
- 11 Benefits of a Carnivore Diet | #9 Will Surprise You
Whichever path you choose I wish you luck and good well being! Thank you for reading and supporting Wild Lumens!
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor. Consult with and ask your doctor about any diet or medical-related questions. No information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition.
REFERENCES
Carbohydrate does not augment exercise-induced protein accretion versus protein alone.
Effect of Amino Acids and Proteins on Insulin Secretion in Man
Effect of creatine and weight training on muscle creatine and performance in vegetarians.
