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 of glycogen (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.[2] 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, many marathoners and triathlon participants have large pasta dinners the night before the race. Since muscles also extensively utilize amino acids when functioning within aerobic limits, meals should include adequate protein on top of carbohydrates.[3] Large portions before a race can, however, be detrimental to race-day performance if the digestive system has not had the time to adequately process the food.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 18:27:40 +0000
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