{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T11:17:59Z","timestamp":1788434279582,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":27,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788393600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol.","JFMK"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: Most studies evaluating low-carbohydrate diets in resistance-trained individuals have focused on short-term ketogenic interventions. Whether habitual carbohydrate intake maintained under free-living conditions is associated with body composition and muscle strength remains unclear. Therefore, this study compared body composition and maximal isometric strength between recreationally resistance-trained men with a habitual low or normal carbohydrate intake. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in 53 recreationally resistance-trained men aged 18\u201335 years. Habitual dietary intake was assessed using three non-consecutive 24 h dietary recalls. Participants were classified as having low (&lt;3 g\/kg\/day; n = 28) or normal (3\u20135 g\/kg\/day; n = 25) carbohydrate intake; participants also reported maintaining their respective dietary pattern for at least three months. Body composition was estimated using the Ross and Kerr anthropometric model, whereas fat mass was calculated using the Martin equation. Maximal isometric handgrip and knee extension strength were also assessed. Between-group comparisons were performed using Welch\u2019s t-test or the Mann\u2013Whitney U test, and multiple linear regression models were adjusted for age, height, and relative energy intake. Sensitivity analyses were additionally adjusted for relative protein intake. Results: Participants with a habitual low carbohydrate intake presented significantly lower adipose mass (\u03b2 = \u22122.42 kg; 95% CI: \u22124.49 to \u22120.35; p = 0.02), adipose percentage (\u03b2 = \u22124.64%; 95% CI: \u22127.47 to \u22121.80; p &lt; 0.01), fat mass (\u03b2 = \u22122.33 kg; 95% CI: \u22124.08 to \u22120.57; p = 0.01), and body fat percentage (\u03b2 = \u22124.06%; 95% CI: \u22126.52 to \u22121.59; p &lt; 0.01) than participants with a normal carbohydrate intake. No significant differences were observed in muscle mass, handgrip strength, or absolute knee extension strength after adjustment. In sensitivity analyses additionally adjusted for relative protein intake, associations with adiposity were attenuated and no longer statistically significant, whereas low carbohydrate intake was associated with lower absolute and relative handgrip and knee extension strength (all p &lt; 0.05). No significant associations with skeletal muscle mass were observed. Conclusions: In recreationally resistance-trained men, habitual carbohydrate intake below 3 g\/kg\/day was associated with lower adiposity in the primary analyses; however, these associations were attenuated after additional adjustment for relative protein intake. Conversely, associations with lower maximal isometric strength emerged after adjustment for protein intake, while no associations with skeletal muscle mass were observed. These findings suggest that the associations of habitual carbohydrate intake with adiposity and muscle strength may be influenced by overall dietary composition and should be interpreted cautiously given the cross-sectional design.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jfmk11030351","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T10:10:33Z","timestamp":1788430233000},"page":"351","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Differences Between Habitual Low and Normal Carbohydrate Intake in Body Composition and Maximal Isometric Strength in Resistance-Trained Men"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Sergio","family":"A\u00f1asco Saca","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo de Investigaci\u00f3n en Nutrici\u00f3n, Metabolismo y Ejercicio, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Carrera de Nutrici\u00f3n y Diet\u00e9tica, Universidad Cient\u00edfica del Sur, Lima 15067, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lilia","family":"Soifer Vel\u00e1squez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo de Investigaci\u00f3n en Nutrici\u00f3n, Metabolismo y Ejercicio, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Carrera de Nutrici\u00f3n y Diet\u00e9tica, Universidad Cient\u00edfica del Sur, Lima 15067, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5228-4370","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexander Javier","family":"Iman Torres","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnolog\u00eda de Alimentos, Facultad de Industrias Alimentarias, Universidad Nacional de la Amazon\u00eda Peruana, Iquitos 16001, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7522-1500","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michelle","family":"Lozada-Urbano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Programa Acad\u00e9mico en Nutrici\u00f3n y Diet\u00e9tica, Universidad Privada Norbert Wiener, Lima 15046, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8131-624X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Delsi M.","family":"Huaita Acha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Direcci\u00f3n General de Investigaciones, Universidad Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Lima 15084, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7239-960X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antonio","family":"Castillo-Paredes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo AFySE, Investigaci\u00f3n en Actividad F\u00edsica y Salud Escolar, Escuela de Pedagog\u00eda en Educaci\u00f3n F\u00edsica, Facultad de Educaci\u00f3n, Universidad de Las Am\u00e9ricas, Santiago 8370040, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jos\u00e9 Antonio","family":"Pino Arango","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Direcci\u00f3n General de Investigaciones, Universidad Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Lima 15084, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0774-606X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jose Jairo","family":"Narrea Vargas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo de Investigaci\u00f3n en Nutrici\u00f3n, Metabolismo y Ejercicio, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Carrera de Nutrici\u00f3n y Diet\u00e9tica, Universidad Cient\u00edfica del Sur, Lima 15067, Peru"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"543","article-title":"American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement. 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