Post-workout, your muscles need glucose and protein. (No fat.) Glucose to replace the glucose/glycogen that you just used up, and protein (amino acids) as building blocks for new muscle proteins.

Glucose is the direct molecule that your cells use to get energy. Fructose, found mostly in fruit, has to be converted to glucose by your liver. Maltodextrin is a starch of glucose molecules, usually made from corn or wheat.

Either glucose/fructose or maltodextrin or a combination of the two is fine. Some people are adamant about one or the other; most said simply “carbohydrate.” The main point is to get some kind of a faster-absorbing carb in your post-workout nutrition so that your muscle and liver glycogen can be restored (and won’t steal amino acids from your muscle proteins to reverse-engineer glucose).

My PWO shake:

• 2 scoops Blue Ice Iso-Extreme (30 g protein)
• 0.5 scoop Xtinguisher (25 g dextrose (carb))
• 8 oz Fruit Punch Gatorade (14 g carbs (fructose & sucrose))
• 1 scoop Max Glutamine (5 g)

An hour or so after your post-workout shake, have a regular meal of protein, carbs, and fat.