Six Carb Strategies to Improve Performance
Six Carb Strategies to Improve Performance
1) Carbs Give You The Will To Continue During Intense Exercise
Successful athletes usually have stronger wills than most people. They push harder in the gym and put up with more pain on the playing field. Drinking carbohydrate beverages during intense workouts might give you the focus of a champion. The central nervous system uses carbohydrates almost exclusively. Falling blood sugar makes people anxious and fatigued. British researchers showed that drinking a carbohydrate beverage during prolonged, intermittent, high-intensity exercise reduced the perception of effort compared to an artificially sweetened beverage. The athletes showed increased persistence and focus when consuming carbohydrates. Bodybuilding workouts are high intensity and intermittent, so bodybuilders would benefit from drinking carbohydrate beverages during intense training. (Scandinavian Journal Medicine Science Sports, 17: 605–610, 2007)
2) Carbs Promote Static Muscle Endurance
Carbohydrates are the principal fuels at exercise intensities above 65 percent of maximum effort. Muscles get carbohydrates from muscle glycogen stores, circulating blood sugar and blood sugar made in the liver from substances such as lactate and alanine. Intense static muscle contractions, which involve the application of force without movement, depend on carbohydrates for fuel. A Mississippi State University study showed that supplementing carbohydrates (one gram per kilogram of bodyweight before exercise; 0.17 grams per kilogram every six minutes during exercise) increased endurance during static muscle contractions. The test subjects contracted their quadriceps for 20 seconds at 50 percent of maximum effort and rested for 40 seconds. During contractions, the muscles were also subjected to electrical stimulation. The study has important implications for rehabilitation and strength training in athletes. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 26: 1717-1723, 2012)
3) The Best Carbohydrate Intake For Maximum Endurance Performance
Carbohydrates are the most important fuels for exercise above intensities of 65 percent of maximum effort. During prolonged, intense endurance exercise, athletes must consume carbohydrates to slow muscle and liver glycogen depletion and prevent decreasing blood sugar levels. John Eric Smith from Auburn University and co-workers found that the optimal carbohydrate intake during sustained high-intensity aerobic exercise was 78 grams per hour. Consuming more or less carbohydrates than this was less effective for improving performance. However, consuming even a small amount of carbohydrate helped performance. (Medicine Science Sports Exercise, 45:336-341, 2013)
4) Carbohydrates Reduce Oxidative Stress During Exercise
Carbohydrates are the main fuel during exercise at intensities above 65 percent of maximum effort. Many athletes consume carbohydrates before exercise to improve performance. Carbohydrate feeding might also protect against deadly free radicals— highly reactive chemicals produced naturally during metabolism linked to membrane damage, DNA destruction, immune system breakdown, muscle soreness, aging and cardiovascular disease. They are like biological rust that cause gradual deterioration of the cells and tissues. Researchers from Appalachian State University found that consuming carbohydrates during exercise (2.5-hour bike ride) decreased free radical production and the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine compared to an identical ride while taking a placebo (artificially sweetened beverage). Consuming adequate energy during prolonged exercise reduces metabolic stress and protects the body against dangerous free radicals. (International Journal Sports Medicine, 28: 921–927, 2007)
5) Carbs Plus Whey Protein Increases Growth Hormone During Endurance Exercise
Feeding whey protein and sugar between two endurance exercise bouts increased growth hormone more than feeding two concentrations of sugar solutions. Fit college-age men ran for 90 minutes at 70 percent of maximum effort, rested four hours, and then ran at the same pace to exhaustion. During the rest intervals, they consumed either 22 grams of whey protein and 58 grams of sugar; 58 grams of sugar; or 116 grams of sugar. Growth hormone was higher and cortisol lower after consuming the whey protein and sugar. Growth hormone is important for fat mobilization during exercise and promoting protein synthesis. The practical application of this study is unknown. (International Journal Sports Nutrition Exercise Metabolism, 23: 259-270, 2013)
6) Dietary Whole Grains Prevent Protein Breakdown
At least half of all grains you eat should be whole grains— according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is responsible for dietary recommendations. The recommended grain intake varies with age, sex and physical activity. Examples of whole grains include whole-wheat flour, cracked wheat, oatmeal, whole cornmeal and brown rice. Refined grains include white flour, degermed cornmeal, white bread and white rice. Why are whole grains good for you? Diets rich in whole grains reduce the risk of disease and supply dietary fiber and a variety of micronutrients. Swiss researchers found that diets rich in whole grains reduced protein breakdown and promoted fat oxidation and gut microbe metabolism. Whole grains are good for bodybuilders. (Journal of Nutrition, 143: 766-773, 2013)