We have always been told to lose weight, you have to reduce the intake of carbohydrates. Yet those on a diet will most likely cheat with their favorite carbs…french fries, pasta, popcorn, etc. But are carbs always the “bad guy?” They may not be good for those who want to lose weight, but there is a positive side to loading up on carbs, really. Especially for those who exercise regularly, or are athletes.
Athletes have been known to load up on carbs hours before a workout or a game. The reason for this is simply for more energy, carbs are the primary fuel for moderate to high-intensity exercise. Endurance training, for example, needs a lot of energy. However, muscle soreness is usually part of the package after a heavy workout.
Yet, you can reduce muscle soreness by consuming more carbs. Endurance runners who consumed about 120 grams of carbs an hour during a mountain marathon, experienced less muscle soreness and physiological stress than those who loaded up with fewer carbs.
However, the 120 grams per hour is more than the recommended upper limit of 90 grams per hour. But Aitor Viribay, a sports performance nutritionist points out, top athletes regularly consume around 120 grams of carbs during competitions.” Although 90 grams per hour has been proposed in the literature, there are physiological reasons that 120 grams per hour could be a more suitable limit,” he adds during an interview. “We’ve measured oxidation and performance with pro world tour cyclists and that’s the quantity we’ve estimated as the best one. Although I think that there could be no limit in this sense, as far as we know now, 120 is the most suitable target.”
Viribay and his team compared the effects of various carbohydrate intakes on 20 elite athletes who were given 120 grams an hour, 90 grams an hour, or 60 grams an hour. The athletes were asked to rate their perceived exertion, with their heart rate data being analyzed. The researchers also noted several markers of muscle damage from the runners, particularly creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, urea,creatinine, and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT). The study showed that the runners who consumed 120 grams of carbs had much lower muscle damage and biological stress as compared to the others. But, there has to be proper preparation…a high intake of carbs can lead to serious GI stress. Carb consumption should be increased gradually to promote tolerance and absorption capacity.
Viribay points out that “Starting from almost zero, our experience tells us that in 6 to 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week, an athlete could tolerate higher intakes than 90 to 100 grams per hour.”
Note also that athletes must choose the right carbs. Best is low to moderate glycemic carbs, at least 2 hours before the exercise. This would include barley, steel-cut oats, rye bread, and non-starchy veggies. Avoid potatoes, white bread, and breakfast cereals. And remember, we are talking about athletes here, particularly those who exercise heavily. If you happen to be a couch potato, well, definitely no potatoes for you.
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