Carbohydrates and Sport

We live in an era where carbohydrates tend to be blamed for many things that go wrong with our health. It is possible that excessive intake of unhealthy, refined carbohydrates has contributed to the obesity epidemic and increased the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in western societies. However, that does not mean that all carbohydrates are bad. Carbohydrates are probably the most important source of energy for the human being. In some countries, 80% or more of daily caloric intake is carbohydrate. Besides providing energy, foods rich in carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables are also good sources of vitamins, dietary fiber.

Low carbohydrate diets have become very popular in the treatment of overweight and obesity. These diets often work very well if you have to lose weight. However, we have to keep in mind that carbohydrates are not all the same. Complex carbohydrates and carbohydrates with a low glycemic index are a better and healthier option than simple, processed carbohydrates. If good health is what you prefer, you will choose whole corn bread and a banana rather than a donut and a caramel bar.

The great popularity of many low-carbohydrate diets has led many people to believe that carbohydrates are ?bad?, that they cause obesity and diabetes. That?s a dangerous oversimplification. Easily digested carbohydrates from white bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods may, indeed, contribute to weight gain and interfere with weight loss. However, fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are good food choices containing essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients.

If you are an athlete or participate in regular physical training, meeting energy needs is critical for your performance and wellbeing. Eating the right the type and amount of food may be as important as the training itself. Sports nutritionists usually recommend eating small, frequent meals to maintain energy metabolism. During times of high physical activity, carbohydrate and protein intake is important to maintain body weight, replenish glycogen stores and provide proteins for building and repairing tissues, especially muscle. Carbohydrate intake may be of critical importance for your physical wellness as a sports person and will help you improve your physical performance.

Guidelines for athletes recommend high carbohydrate intake during training. A high carbohydrate diet helps increase glycogen stores and extend endurance. It may also prevent mental as well as physical fatigue. Studies indicate that carbohydrate should supply a minimum of 60% of total calories. This is important for endurance athletes as well as stop-and-go sports such as soccer and basketball.

It is recommended that dietary carbohydrates for athletes should mainly come from complex carbohydrates. Some athletes may need simple sugars as well but their consumption should be minimized.

Glucose is the main fuel for the cells of the human body. The body can store glucose as glycogen, mainly in the liver and skeletal muscle. In skeletal muscle, glycogen grants access to glucose during muscle exercise. Liver cells also use glycogen to control blood sugar levels. By breakdown of glycogen, the liver can pump 100 ? 150 milligrams of glucose into the bloodstream every minute for twelve ours if needed. After that the stores will be depleted.

It is possible for you to fill up your glycogen stores prior to training or competition by a process called carbohydrate loading. This is performed by increasing carbohydrate intake for the last few days, up to a week before competition and at the same time reduce your training intensity. It is usually enough to have 60 to 70 percent of total calories come from carbohydrate. By doing this you may be able to significantly increase your glycogen stores. Studies on athletes have shown that the glycogen stores in exercising muscles may more than double by performing carbohydrate loading. If you are a runner this will help you keep a faster pace for a longer time.

However, there is one downside to carbohydrate loading, and that is water retention. For each gram of glycogen stored the body stores about three grams of water. This may in some cases lead to weight gain which may be a problem under certain conditions and can cause discomfort.

If you are going to participate in aerobic activity for less than 60 minutes, carbohydrate loading will probably not provide much benefit. However, it is probably helpful to taper your training program for the last few days before competition and increase your carbohydrate intake for the last couple of days before the event.

Carbohydrates are your most important source of energy during the last few hours before competition. Protein and fat take longer time to digest and will probably not help you much short term. Eating carbohydrates two to four hours before exercise may help you replenish your glycogen stores. However, you must avoid gastrointestinal distress. You will not want to fill up your stomach and intestine with to much with food, but at the same time you will want to avoid hunger. Finding this balance may not be an easy task which is why liquid carbohydrates me be preferred during the last two to four hours before competition.

Should you eat the last hour before competition? It will depend on whether you have refueled enough the last three hours before or not. However, you should probably not eat solid food during the last hour before activity as it might upset your stomach.

During exercise you can supply fuel to exercising muscle by consuming beverages with moderate amount of simple carbohydrates. If the events lasts an hour or more, drinking sports drinks with 4 to 8 percent carbohydrate may enable you to exercise longer and possibly sprint faster at the finish. If the event lasts for less than an hour, plain water will probably be enough for you.

Axel F Sigurdsson is an Icelandic cardiologist. He has a PhD degree from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. He works at the Landspitali University Hospital in Reykjavik, Iceland and at the Heart Center just outside Reykjavik. He is a Fellow of The American College of Cardiology, The Swedish Society of Cardiolgy and The Icaelandic Cardiac Society.

He runs his own health blog, http://www.docsopinion.com, dedicated to health, nutrition, healthy lifestyle and prevention of disease.

Source: http://toddsblogs.com/healthandfitness/2012/08/14/carbohydrates-and-sport/

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