When Insulin Spikes are Good for Your Health

when are insulin spikes good for health

In general, most people aren’t looking for ways to spike their insulin levels due to all the negative associations with insulin spikes. But there is a good time to spike your insulin levels without negatively affecting your weight loss efforts.

Normally, when we think of insulin spikes we think metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and fat storage – and for most people, those aren’t positive associations. But there is an optimal time to spike your insulin levels.

So, When Is the Perfect Time to Spike Your Insulin?

After a strenuous training session. Since insulin is a powerful anabolic hormone, spiking it after an intense training session helps drive muscle recovery and growth.

Why Is This Important When It Comes to Weight Loss?

More muscle equals more caloric burn even while at rest. Which means you can burn more and lose more by doing less.

What Are the Best Ways to Spike Your Insulin?

Eat fast-digesting carbs immediately following a workout.
Supplement your diet with alpha-lipoic acid (take 300-500 milligrams before and after workouts).
Take banaba leaf (take 30-50 milligrams of banaba extract with a protein shake within 30 minutes of working out).
Add Gymnema Sylvestre to your diet (take 250-600 milligrams with post-workout shake).

All of these will either increase your insulin resistance or mimic insulin and help promote faster muscle recovery and growth. And if you’re looking to lose weight, more muscle equates to greater calorie burn with less effort. However, keep in mind that post-workout is the ONLY time you want to spike your insulin, especially if you are trying to lose weight as spiking it at other times will simply tell your body to store those extra calories as fat.