High Carbohydrate Availability

Unlike high carbohydrate nutrition, which focuses on percentages or total grams of carbohydrates consumed per kilogram, high carbohydrate availability considers carbohydrate needs before, during, and between sessions.

High carbohydrate availability can be an effective nutrition strategy used Most often by endurance athletes and those who participate in high intensity, long duration training Especially when training demands increase and when preparing for competitions and races >90 minutes.

Carbohydrates Before, During, and After Exercise

Pre-Event Fueling

Including carbohydrates in the meal prior to exercise is recognized as a strategy to enhance performance, especially when intakes are at least 1 g/kg of body weight.

Endurance training: Endurance athletes who consume carbohydrates prior to and during endurance training performed better than their counterparts.

Preferred Intake: A total of 1-4 g/kg body weight 3-4 hours prior to training, competition, or event

Strategy: Finding carbohydrate types and amounts to suit event types, GI tolerance, and individual preference takes strategic planning and practice. Some athletes prefer a lower GI carb sources prior to training to reduce hyperinsulinemia, which often results in a mid-workout crash. Others can tolerate high GI loading strategies without experiencing negative effects. Practicing pre-event carbohydrate fueling strategies during training gives the athlete an advantage on competition day.

Intra Event Fueling

Endurance training: Carbohydrate intake during exercise, especially during endurance exercise can be an effective strategy to enhance performance. Providing carbohydrate during exercise can spare muscle glycogen, ensure adequate blood glucose, and provide fuel for muscles when depleted and the central nervous system.

Preferred Intake: Consider a range of 30-90 g/hr depending on length of the event

Strategy: The type of carbohydrate source should be considered since various sources (single and multiple) have different absorption capacities.

Post Event Fueling

It is well understood that post exercise carbohydrate intake should occur quickly after activity and supply ample quantities. Muscles are most susceptible to glucose uptake and glycogen restoration when carbohydrate intake occurs 30-60 minutes immediately after exercise and in the hours and days following exercise if carbohydrate intake continues to occur.

Preferred Intake: A total of 1.2 g/kg/hr when only using carbohydrate for replenishment. When consuming with protein source 0.8 g/kg is preferred.

Strategy: To further enhance glycogen synthesis post-event fueling strategies should consider carbohydrate source and pairing of carbohydrates with additional ergogenic aids.

Carbohydrate Availability and Resistance Training

Endogenous carbohydrate (glycogen stores) and exogenous carbohydrate (carbohydrate consumption) available during or after exercise stimulate adaptation to resistance training. Entering into resistance training with low glycogen stores results in the use of energy pathways that shunt the ability to promote anabolic responses. When goals of resistance training are to increase work capacity and ensure nitrogen balance it is imperative to supply the body with ample amount carbohydrates to reduce protein catabolism.

Meeting High Carbohydrate Demands

Understanding your need for carbohydrates and how to ensure proper replenishment for weeks and months of training may require a little planning and strategizing! Check out my previous blog post here for nutrient dense carbohydrate foods to replenish with. When training demands increase the use of sport nutrition products including semi solid and liquid sport nutrition products may be encouraged. Contact me, if you’d like to work together to ensure you are meeting nutrition demands required for your training!

High Carbohydrate Availability is a Strategy Not Necessarily a Lifestyle

Having perpetually high carbohydrate stores may not always be necessary. The manipulation of carbohydrates around training requirements is recognized as periodized nutrition and has shown promising benefits for manipulating fuel utilization. Using this strategy during endurance training of 3-10 week has proven as a beneficial method for optimizing fat oxidation during performances. More information will follow in the next post. 

Resources

Burke, L. M., Hawley, J. A., Wong, S. H. S. and Jeukendrup, A. 2011. Carbohydrates for training and competition. Journal of Sports Sciences.

Burke, L.M., Hawley, J.A., Jeukendrup, A.E., Morton, J.P., Stellingwerff, T., & Maughan, R.J. (2018c). Towards a common understanding of diet-exercise strategies to manipulate fuel availability for training and competition preparation for endurance sport. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 28, 451–463.

Hearris, M. A., Hammond, K. M., Fell, J. M., & Morton, J. P. (2018). Regulation of Muscle Glycogen Metabolism during Exercise: Implications for Endurance Performance and Training Adaptations. Nutrients, 10(3), 298. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10030298 

Murray, B., & Rosenbloom, C. (2018). Fundamentals of glycogen metabolism for coaches and athletes. Nutrition reviews, 76(4), 243–259. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuy001

Mata, F., Valenzuela, P. L., Gimenez, J., Tur, C., Ferreria, D., Domínguez, R., Sanchez-Oliver, A. J., & Martínez Sanz, J. M. (2019). Carbohydrate Availability and Physical Performance: Physiological Overview and Practical Recommendations. Nutrients, 11(5), 1084. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11051084