How should endurance athletes carbohydrate load before competition….Is carbohydrate intake important during the recovery period after endurance training or competition

 How should endurance athletes' carbohydrate load before competition….

Carbohydrate loading is often cited as an effective way of maximizing muscle glycogen stores before an endurance event. As noted earlier, increasing muscle glycogen levels can increase the time to exhaustion and thus prevent or delay bonking. In the 6 to 7 days leading up to competition, endurance athletes should be tapering and resting their muscles. When tapering, endurance athletes decrease the volume and intensity of their training. During the taper, the percentage of carbohydrates consumed each day should slowly increase from about 45%–55% of total calories to 65%–70%. This progression allows for carbohydrate storage within the muscles to be maximized while training time is minimized. 

The combination of rest and a full fuel tank produces an athlete who is mentally and physically fresh and nutritionally energized for race day. A carbohydrate intake of approximately 8–10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight, or about 500–600 grams of carbohydrates per day, is required to maximize glycogen stores.

Athletes who are competing several times a week do not have time to taper for 7 days while increasing carbohydrate intake. These athletes should ensure adequate consumption of carbohydrates daily, which can also effectively keep glycogen stores near their maximum.

Should carbohydrates be consumed in the hours or minutes before endurance activities….

Research has demonstrated that consuming carbohydrates in the hours leading up to an endurance training session or competition is critical for optimal performance, especially during activities lasting longer than 2 hours. Carbohydrates consumed before exercise increase blood glucose, which leads to a sparing of muscle and liver glycogen, thus enhancing endurance performance.Even though it appears obvious in the research that pre-exercise carbohydrate consumption can prevent fatigue.

The authors reported a 9% increase in running capacity when a meal (containing 2.5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body mass) was eaten 3 hours before exercise versus when no meal was consumed. An additional endurance benefit (22% increase) was observed when the subjects ate a carbohydrate-rich meal 3 hours before exercise and consumed a 6.9% carbohydrate beverage during running, as compared to those who did not eat a pre-exercise meal and did not drink the sports beverage during running. Endurance athletes are encouraged to consume a well-rounded, carbohydrate-rich pre-exercise meal, and then continue consuming carbohydrates during exercise to optimize performance.

When is the ideal time to consume carbohydrates before endurance training or competition….

The ideal time for consuming carbohydrates before exercise has been debated. Popular thought has led to the recommendation of consuming carbohydrate-rich foods in the 2–4 hours leading up to exercise and avoiding carbohydrates, specifically high glycemic foods/beverages such as glucose, in the hour immediately before activity because it would result in hypoglycemia.

A recent article studying the impact of pre-carbohydrate feedings on a series of 4,000-meter swims performed by triathletes confirmed a positive effect on performance when carbohydrates are consumed within an hour of exercise.

The timing of a pre-exercise carbohydrate meal will vary greatly based on the number of carbohydrates consumed and an athlete’s individual tolerance. Athletes typically consume their pre-exercise meal as close as 30 minutes before the initiation of endurance exercise to as long as 4 hours prior. 

How many grams of carbs should be taken before the competition…….

It has been suggested that athletes consume greater than 2 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight before endurance exercise to have a positive impact on performance. For a female endurance athlete weighing 125 pounds, the number of carbohydrates required before a long-duration training session or competition would be 114 grams, calculated as follows:

1. Convert pounds to kilograms = 125 ÷ 2.2 = 56.8 kg of body weight 2.

2. The minimum amount of carbohydrates needed before exercise = 2 × 56.8 kg = 114 g

114 grams can easily be obtained by eating 2 cups of raisin bran, 1 cup of skim milk, and a banana, which provides a total of 133 grams of carbohydrates.

Should the endurance athlete consume carbohydrates during endurance activities….

To maintain blood glucose for oxidation and continued energy production, athletes need to ingest carbohydrates while exercising. Although consuming enough carbohydrates during exercise can enhance endurance performance, ingesting too many carbohydrates can lead to stomach cramping, intestinal discomfort, and diarrhea, all of which can hinder performance.

Carbohydrate needs during exercise are estimated at 1.0–1.1 grams of carbohydrates per minute of activity, or 60–66 grams of carbohydrates per hour. Some athletes can easily consume and digest upwards of 75–85 grams of carbohydrates per hour, whereas others can barely stomach 45–55 grams. Athletes need to experiment with varying quantities of carbohydrates surrounding the 60–66 gram range to determine the best estimate for them individually. Carbohydrates can be consumed through a variety of foods and fluids such as sports drinks, energy bars, energy gels, fruits, granola bars, fig cookies, and even sandwiches.

Is carbohydrate intake important during the recovery period after endurance training or competition….

Carbohydrates are critical for recovery from endurance exercise. Repeated exercise sessions of long duration can deplete muscle glycogen stores. If glycogen stores are not replenished, performance in subsequent training or competitive sessions will suffer. Carbohydrates should be consumed as soon as possible after exercise in adequate amounts for glycogen replenishment, based on individual needs.

To optimize the replenishment of glycogen after endurance exercise, carbohydrates should be consumed as soon as possible after exercise ideally within 15–30 minutes. Endurance athletes should consume approximately 1.1 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight (0.5 grams/pound) within 15–30 minutes after exercise. For example, a 130-pound athlete in training for a marathon should consume approximately 65 grams of carbohydrates after exercise, and a 160-pound marathoner would need 80 grams of carbohydrates.

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