Importance of CHO for exercise
There is a mountain of scientific evidence that show the importance of carbohydrate consumption for maximum performance at endurance sports. Carbohydrates are the fuel that run our body and since an athlete runs their body more often then non athletes, it is logical to increase the carbohydrate intake. Research has shown that glycogen (the human body’s storage form of carbohydrates) depletion is a significant limitation to endurance performance. Continue carbohydrate supplementation before and during exercise will greatly improve endurance performance. This article will go through what carbohydrate loading is, how it can be affected, and how you can begin to use it properly to enhance your performance not only on race day, but throughout your training program.
What is Carbohydrate Loading?
Carbohydrate loading is increasing carbohydrate intake at specific exercise intensities that allows for your body to increase the ability of glycogen storage.
Carbohydrate loading is also called muscle glycogen super compensation. An athlete, when done properly, can nearly double the amount of glycogen stored. Studies have shown repeatedly that the greater the athletes pre-exercise muscle glycogen content, the greater the endurance potential and performance. Your body has the ability to have a wide range of glycogen storage ability (see table above). By manipulating the diet and exercise intensity your glycogen storage can increase up to 30 fold. This allows for more continuous carbohydrates available during high endurance activity, by increasing your carbohydrates your body has the ability to perform at a higher intensity level at the third hour of exercise. The impact of proper carbohydrate loading on your performance can take you further than you thought your body could go.
Factors affecting CHO loading
Carbohydrates help promote an increase in performance, hence the goal to increase the bodies ability to store glycogen. There are several factors that increase the body’s ability to promote glycogen storage.
Endurance training promotes muscle glycogen super compensation by increasing the activity of glycogen syntheses and enzyme that is responsible for glycogen storage. Muscle glycogen stores are utilized at a higher rate as intensity increases, the more glucose/glycogen available the better performance.
Amount of carbohydrates in last meal: a the amount of carbohydrates at a given meal will dictate the amount of glycogen available for storage. Be careful here, the more is not always the better when it comes to carbohydrates. If eaten too much you can be come fatigued.
Planned exercise intensity and duration: Glycogen stores are specific to the muscle groups used, the exercise to deplete the stores must be the same as the athletes competitive event. It is important to practice the carbo loading technique below 3 days before an especially long or difficult training session. This will allow your muscles to ‘practice’ allowing in more glycogen as your increase in your intensity.
Water Intake: as you increase your carbs, you will need to increase your water intake. Water follows glycogen storage. . You might feel a slight fatigue of stiffness and heaviness (usually 4-5 pound increase) but that will dissipate with continued training.
Time of last meal: it too many hours have gone since your last meal the pervious glycogen stores that were meant for exercise, might have been used for feeding your body during the ‘fast’. Be sure to eat every three to four hours when in your training program.
All of these affect the carbohydrate loading ability of your body. Like training your muscles to perform at a higher intensity and rate, you can train your body to store glycogen at a higher intensity and rate.
