Has anyone heard the theory that one should not eat a post workout meal until 30 minutes after w/o, due to a growth hormone spike?
Some how eating would interfere with this spike. I have no science to back this up, just heard it from an ex pro BB
Has anyone heard anything along these lines or was he blowing smoke?
Hormonal responses to training are highly overrated. GH levels in the body can vary by a factor of 10 within a day. Certainly more growth hormone will be released during and after exercise and this may help you lose fat/build muscle. But how can muscle be built without nutrients? Especially since amino acids (the building blocks of muscle) are excreted via urine if there is no demand. Remember that pro BB’s spout a lot of voodoo and that most of them who take GH need to take immense doses to see results.
I don’t think the raise in GH is big enough to make any difference. I personally try to get my PWO shake as soon as possible after the workout.
I am not sure who it was but some T-contributor talked about GH after workout before. Ian King maybe or Don Alesi or Eric Cressy. Can’t remember.
Dr. Eades from protein power also says the pwo should be about 1 hr to allow maximal GH release. But…
Eventhough the GH release will be blunted by the PWO shake, this isn’t a big deal.
The acute hormonal increase isn’t as important as the overall sustained release.
I don’t know if you want to risk your PWO benefits for a little temp increase in GH.
My 2 Sense 
Do you have any idea how much GH you need to make a difference in your body composition or performance? Trust me, the release you get is not enough to make a difference. You need to take exogenous GH and in high amounts to make a difference.
sure I remember someone saying something about training being catabolic even post-training and the anabolism (change in muscle insulin sensitivity) started like an hour post training… Is this ringing a bell with anyone or did I just dream it up?
might justify your 30min delay allowing 15-30 mins for absorbtion (which would of course depend on your protein source, whether it was chewed, and how long it stayed in the stomach for a spot of hydrolysis…)
Everything I’ve heard about recently points to immediate nourishment post-workout. I started bringing my dextrose/whey bottle to the gym with me, drinking it on the way out of there. I believe a diluted solution or consuming it over a period of 30 minutes to be beneficial as well as to not shut your digestive system down with too many calories too quickly.
From what I have gleaned from various people on this subject is the post-workout drink halts the catabolic processes that have started due to training. This also seems to be relative to dietary lifestyle in that its possible this might be even more beneficial when used with a low-carb diet (at least low carb every other time of the day).
Check it out!