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Originally Posted by Doug (TP)

i will try my best at describing my personal beliefs about WMS (waxy maize starch) from personal experience as well as research i have done on the subject. WMS really is an extremely unique substance and works on a very different mechanism to the usual malt/dex carbohydrate mix, especially dealing with its response with insulin. most think a higher rate of absorption/assimilation/digestion takes more insulin or a greater insulin response to shuttle nutrients and to replenish glycogen stores, i think WMS is going to prove this wrong. WMS is very different, hence why many have been using this stuff while dieting and not getting the usual dex/malt spill over or bloat many people experience.

WMS differs from malt or dex (especially dex) in 2 main ways... WMS has a significantly greater molecular weight and lower osmolarity of the 2. without going into the science of john dalton, molecular mass, or osmotic pressure, what do these 2 main details mean to us, athletes...

first because of the greater molecular weight, WMS has the ability to quickly bypass much of the harsh digestion process in the stomach and go to the intestines (ileum) for immediate absorption. "yeah so what..." well in theory, this allows this complex carbohydrate to stay in long chain polymer form before being broken down or digested after it has crossed the intestinal wall. which in turn causes a low glycemic response as these polymer chains are virtually untouched as they are still in tact before the stomach had time to break them down and are broken down at a much lower rate. with malt or dex, their glycemic response is very high. dex is basically pure glucose, so the obvious spike in insulin is evident, but even though malt is considered a complex carb, it is broken down extremely fast and causes a very quick spike in insulin.

second, the low osmolarity of this substance makes WMS highly absorbable driving itself across the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream. This low osmolarity allows substance to reach the muscle cells quickly.

i personally believe these 2 actions will increase absorption of many other supplemental aides by signifcant numbers. first the ability of WMS to allow substances to bypass much of the stomachs harsh acids is huge. many substances, like creatines, amino acids, etc. can sit in these acidic environments and degrade and make them useless. and second the low osmolarity of WMS has the ability to take other materials across the intestinal wall fairly easy (absorption) and then materials are driven to various cells (assimilation) to take on their action. i really believe you are going to see WMS in the future as the next "transport system" not only for creatine but for many other aides, and it doesn't work on the high insulin response mechanism for absorption either, which is a plus.

many are talking about "feeling" WMS and mistaking it as a hypoglycemic response. i can not say really what it is from a personal or from med-line searches, but it feels like a hypoglycemic episode is about to happen, but it never really quite takes you to being hypo. it is strange really, i have made myself hypo countless times usually from the over use of ALA and dextrose so i know the feeling. something else is happing here, as the insulin response to WMS is fairly low. i guess only time will tell as well as new theories will arise to what it is.