Does ‘Carb-Loading’ Improve Athletic Performance?

  For generations, endurance athletes have practiced ‘carb-loading’, consuming large amounts of carbohydrates the night before the competition. Studies have found several different carb loading strategies can give athletes a competitive edge.

  During digestion carbohydrates are rapidly turned into glucose, a sugar that is the body’s primary and most immediate energy source. Excess glucose is then stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. About four hours after a meal, the glycogen in the liver begins to break down and supply the body with glucose, but the glycogen in the muscle is reserved almost exclusively for muscle activity. By eating a high carbohydrate meal the night before a competition, athletes maximize the glycogen stores in their muscles, ensuring that the muscles will have enough glucose for strenuous activity.

  Studies have shown carb-loaded athletes perform better and their muscles do not fatigue as easily. However it is important to watch your calories. Excess calories of any kind have been shown to impair athletic performance. -Sean Kenniff, MD