When you think carbohydrate supplements, think energy. Carbohydrates provide energy in the form of glycogen, which is stored in the liver and muscles. When you workout, especially for long periods of time (60 minutes or longer), you deplete your glycogen stores (your energy stores). When this happens you lose steam during your workout and it can result in cells and muscle tissue being damaged and the immune system being stressed.

The only time you have to use carbohydrate supplements before, during and after exercising is when your exercise session is longer than 90 minutes. You can still use them before, during and after exercising for shorter sessions, but the effects are not as noticeable and they may not provide any added advantage.

The reason it's more critical for longer sessions is because after 90 minutes of high intensity exercise, the glycogen stores begin rapidly depleting. There is one time every guy should consider carbohydrate supplements and that is after your workout - regardless the length of the exercise session. During that time, you also want to take a carbohydrate supplement with a fast-digesting protein like whey.

This time frame is called the "glycogen window," or the "window of opportunity." During this window, carbohydrate will be converted to muscle glycogen at about 3 times the normal rate. The earlier you take your carbohydrate and protein mix after you exercise, the better.

The reason is some data suggests that there is a 50% fall in the conversion rate of carbohydrate to muscle glycogen within 2 hours of exercise and a complete return to normal repletion rate within 4 hours. By taking advantage of the glycogen window, you can prevent chronic glycogen depletion and the fatigue that goes along with it. Finally, the protein provides essential amino acids to help repair muscle tissue.

So how much carbohydrate should you take and how much whey protein should you include? A common recommendation is a 2 to 1, carbohydrate to protein ratio. Dr. John Berardi, who specializes in human performance and nutrition consulting, recommends 0.8g of carbohydrate per 1 kilogram of body weight and anywhere from 0.2g - 0.4g of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight.

To convert your body weight to kilograms, divide your total weight by 2.2. So a 200 pound guy weighs 91 kilograms (200/2.2 = 90.9, or 91). Following Dr. Berardi's recommendations, a 200 pound guy should aim for about 36 grams of whey protein and 73 grams of carbohydrates immediately after a workout. If you take too much carbohydrate, your body will convert what it doesn't need to bodyfat so "more" is not better!

Carbohydrate supplements can be found in three forms: powders, liquids and gels. The advantage of taking them over food is that they are immediately absorbed in the body and don't give the "heavy feeling" food does during digestion. Carbohydrate supplements are basically different forms of sugar. The two primary sugars you'll want to consider are dextrose and maltodextrin. In fact, the best combination is a 50/50 blend of these carbohydrate supplements mixed with whey protein.

Dextrose and maltodextrin are very cheap, convenient, and quite effective in replenishing those all important energy stores. While protein supplements should be the first items on your list, carbohydrate supplements such as dextrose and maltodextrin should be second on your list if you're doing any kind of regular exercise.

Recommended Reading:

Maximize Your Workouts with Proper Post Workout Nutrition - An overview of why post workout nutrition is so critical for every guy - regardless of your fitness goals.

Window of Opportunity - A more in-depth look at post workout nutrition and written more for body builders. Regardless of your fitness goals, however, you will learn something from this article! Includes specific recommendations on what you should consume after a workout.

Dextrose & Maltodextrin: An In-Depth Analysis - These two carbohydrate supplements are the best choices for post workout nutrition. This article explains what they are and why they work so well together.