Please guys, keep in mind that when I wrote that pre-workout protocol, it was designed for guys who wanted a simple, safe program they could run long-term. When used on such a limited basis (the average person trains 3-5X weekly), it is unlikely to cause any type of significant insulin resistance. With pre-workout being the single most effective time to use insulin, the timing was a no-brainer.
In addition, I actually recommend Humulin R be used in most cases at this point, as it stays active throughout both the workout and post-workout windows.
As far as all the other ingredients in the program, my opinions have changed since, as newer, better compounds are now available. For example, some of the pumpo-inducing compounds are a bit out-dated. Better alternatives are now available.
On top of that, I have made adjustments to both the number of shakes consumed (now only 2), as well as the nutrients included in the shakes. I still include rapidly digesting, hydrolyzed proteins in one of the shakes, as well as high mollecular weight carbs, such as branched chain cyclic dextrins. But...I now believe adding certain other proteins & carbs further improves its effectiveness.
The 2nd shake is consumed immediately post-workout and is more of a food-based shake, which includes a variety of fast, moderate, and slow digesting proteins & carbs.
As for secondary ingredients, things like Leucine & creatine will always remain, but most of the other ingredients are either optional or out-dated.
Lastly, the insulin dose in the original program is just a generic dose for the typical beginner. Optimal dosing can vary widely among different people, with bodyweight, insulin sensitivity, and food intake all determing one's ideal dose.
The origial program was good, with many people getting great results without damaging their insulin sensitivity, but science is always revealing new and more effective ways of doing things...and providing new and more effective compounds. Neither should we discount the insight that real-world experience has to offer us when it comes to improving program construction.
It is important for me to point this out, as it has been several years since I originally introduced that protocol and a lot of things have changed since then. Quite frankly, I don't see too many people these days investing very much time or effort into improving the effectiveness of their insulin protocols...or at least they're not talking about it publically. If the goal is maximizing lean mass gain, we should be attempting to ride the fine line between maximizing insulin dose, frequency, and duration, while simultaneously optimizing insulin sensitivity and Glut-4 transportation. The more we can optimize those 2 critical aspects of insulin efficacy, the more insulin we can use without suffering the health problems associated with abuse.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to get exact answers on this, but modern science has provided us with quite a bit of direction. Insulin is a wonderful compound--its feedback mechanisms let is know loud and clear when we are doing something wrong and when something is wrong, its effectiveness is reduced...because wrong means reduced insulin sensitivity/Glut-4 transportation. So, in this sense, health & effectiveness are closely related.
Never, ever listen to the guys whose only answer to better results are the words "more" and "longer"...because when those are the only 2 variables being considered, the body will fight against you and eventually, not only will your results get worse and worse, both so will your health. This is why I so frequently recommend the pre-workout only protocol for most people...because unless someone is really paying attention to everything that is going on internally and taking steps to address these changes, problems will result.