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Carbo loading.

Carbohydrate loading

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Carbohydrate loading, commonly referred to as carbo-loading or carb-loading, is a strategy used by endurance athletes such as marathon runners to maximize the storage ofglycogen (or energy) in the muscles.

Carbohydrate loading is also used in healthcare to optimise the condition of patients prior to surgery.^[1]

Carbohydrate loading is generally recommended for endurance events lasting longer than 90 minutes.^{[citation needed]} For many endurance athletes the foods of choice for carbo-loading are those of low glycemic indices due to their minimal effect on serum glucose levels. Low glycemic foods commonly include fruits, vegetables, whole wheat pasta and grains. Because of this, hundreds of marathons and triathlons have large pasta dinners the night before the race.

Contents [hide] 1 Procedure 1.1 Without depletion 1.2 Short workout 1.3 Transient hypoglycemia 2 References

[edit]Procedure

7 days before the event, perform an exhaustive exercise to all but deplete your energy stores. Then for the next 2-3 days cut back on carbs and do low exercise to keep the carb level very low. Then 3-4 days before the event, eat a very high carb diet. This will initiate a response from the muscles to take in as much glycogen from the carbs as possible, over compensating for the starvation from the previous days.

[edit]Without depletion

In the 1980s, research led to a modified carbo-loading regimen that eliminates the depletion phase, instead calling for increased carbohydrate intake (to about 70% of total calories) and decreased training for three days prior to the event.^[2] Most athletes now follow this modified regimen, and it is recommended by many coaches, although there are some athletes who still follow the original carbo-loading regimen.

[edit]Short workout

A new carbo-loading regimen developed by scientists at the University of Western Australia calls for a normal diet with light training until the day before the race. On the day before the race, the athlete performs a very short, extremely high-intensity workout (such as a few minutes of sprinting) then consumes 12 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of lean mass over the next 24 hours. The regimen reportedly resulted in a 90% increase in glycogen storage.^[2]

[edit]Transient hypoglycemia

Individuals wishing to utilize carbohydrate loading methods need be aware that ingestion less than 2 hours prior to aerobic exercise may cause an elevated insulin response and thus dramatic decreases in serum glucose levels which can limit aerobic performance, especially in events lasting longer than 60 minutes. This decrease is known as transient or reactive hypoglycemia and can be a limiting factor in elite athletes. Individuals susceptible to hypoglycemia are especially at risk for elevated insulin responses and thus likely will suffer from performance limiting, transient hypoglycemia.

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