Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates (CHO) are primary fuel source for most types of exercise
- Most important nutrient for performance
- Should be eaten with every meal and important for pre/post workout

Simple carbohydrates - sugar

● Monosaccharide: Single sugar molecule
○ Glucose
○ Fructose = fruit sugar
○ Galactose = milk sugar
● Disaccharides: Multiple sugar molecule
○ Maltose = glucose + glucose
○ Sucrose = glucose + fructose
○ Lactose = glucose + galactose

Complex carbohydrates - polysaccharide

- Starch - Fiber - Glycogen
● Starch: Storage form of glucose in plants
○ Amylose: unbranched soluble
○ Amylopectin: branched insoluble
○ Body breaks down easily.
○ Found in grains, legumes, tubers
● Fiber : Non digestible parts of plants
○ Consists of long polysaccharide chains
○ Fiber passes through the body without being broken down (little to no energy)
○ Dietary fibers occur naturally in food
○ Soluble fiber dissolves/swells in water
■ Slows passage of food, doesn’t increase bulk (heavy processed)
■ Sources: Beans, oats, fruits & vegetables
○ Non soluble fiber does not absorb water
■ Increases bulk & speeds up passage of food through the digestive tract
■ Sources: Oats & wheat bran, rye, barley, brown ice, seeds, legumes,
fruits and vegetables
Fiber recommendations: 14g/1000 kcal
130-150 grams for brain function (500-600 kcal). Brain function decline if not met

When CHO Intake is Low

● Glucose alanine- when glucose levels are low, can make glucose via transamination in
liver or kidneys
- Can happen when levels are normal but intensity is high multiple times in a row
(preseason, daily doubles, high caliber training etc)
- More trained athletes are conditions to have slight carbohydrate storage for the end
● Gluconeogenesis
 ○ Protein used as fuel and not to build and repair tissues
○ Amino acids taken first from blood then from muscles, heart, liver, kidneys
○ Fed state important
○ Fat oxidation can occur when CHO is depleted but depends on individual and on
intensity

Lipolysis = Fat Breakdown

Esterification = Fatty acids attaching to triglyceride (storage)
● When blood lactate (higher intensity exercise) ↑ and pH ↓, lipolysis ↓ and esterification ↑
● Replenish with exogenous CHO
Exercise > 65% VO₂ max ↓ FFA levels

Hypothesized Reasons
● Decrease or limited transport of FFA into mitochondria
○ Carnitine palmitoyl-transferase (CPT)

● CHO availability may decrease fat oxidation by increasing production of

of malonyl-CoA

Fat Oxidations
● ½ the energy needed for 70% VO₂ max
● < or = ⅓ the energy needed for > 85% VO₂ max
 - Glucose output from liver cannot keep up with glucose demand during prolonged
strenuous exercise

Epinephrine & Norepinephrine

● Epi stimuates adenylate cyclase mechanism which increases glycogenolysis
● Cori cycle & gluconeogenesis ↑
● ACTH ↑ cortisol which ↑ proteolysis in muscle (PRO catabolism)
Does Exogenous glucose feeding spare muscle glycogen during strenuous exercise?
- 80% comes from muscle glycogen but can pull from liver glycogen
- Studies showing no effect suggests impairment in performance may be due to
gluconeogenesis during exercise
10% CHO drink reduces liver glycogen production 59% during prolonged exercise
- Total body CHO stores are limited
- Stores are often substantially lower than fuel requirements
- CHO Intake before, during, and after prolonged exercises provides variety of options
-
Mechanisms By Which CHO Improves Performance
● Maintain blood glucose and high levels of CHOP oxidations
● Sparing endogenous glycogen
● Synthesizing glycogen during low intensity exercise
● Oral stimulation imitating neural messages in CNS (swishing in mouth)

Difference Between Short and Long Duration?

● Glycogen depletion can occur after:
○ 2-3 hours of continuous exercise performed at 60-80% VO₂
○ After high intensity at 90-130% VO₂ that occurs intermittently over a short time
(15-60 minutes)

Gastric Emptying and Absorption of CHO

● Maximal rate a single ingested CHO can be oxidized
○ ½ to 1 g / minute - 60-70 g / hr
○ Any sports drink containing 6-8% CHO would provide 60-80g of CHO per liter
How much should an athlete consume to provide adequate CHO and fluid? Intake every 15-20
minutes?
- 4 oz = 120 ml 120 x 4 (15 minutes) = 480 ml / 16 oz
120 x 3 (20 minutes) = 360 ml / 12 oz
- 8 oz = 240 ml 240 x 4 (15 minutes) = 960 ml / 32 oz
240 x 3 (20 minutes) = 720 ml / 24 oz
Amount of CHO intake depends on sport and individual
- Intensity and duration
- How quickly glycogen needs to be replaced and when the next exercise bout will be

Carbohydrate Range (Intake)

● Adequate glycogen stores, athletes need 6 - 10 g of CHO / kg of BW
 ○ 1 g | CHO = 4kcal PRO = 4 kcal FAT = 9 kcal ETOH = 7 kcal
● Determine intake range (example: BW 145 lbs)
○ Step 1: Convert LBS to KG by dividing weight by 2.2
■ 145 / 2.2 = 66 kg
○ Step 2: Determine the range of carb intake, multiple body wt in kg by 6 and then
by 10
■ 6 g/k → 6g x 66kg = 396g of CHO
■ 10 g/k → 10g x 66kg = 660g of CHO

Carbohydrates Recommendation
● Strength Athletes
○ Wrestlers, gymnasts, body builders
○ > or = 55% of calories, 5-7 g/kg BW
○ Why?
■ Primary source of energy
■ Effect of repeated high intensity workouts on glycogen
● Endurance Athletes
○ Triathletes, swimmers, cross country runners
○ > or = 60% of calories, 7-10 g/kg Ultra: ~10-12 g/kg
○ Why?
■ Endurance training reduce glycogen
■ Repeated training effect

Focus on Carbohydrate Intake

● General guidelines: Athletes should consume around 45-65% of kcal from carbohydrates
○ ADA/ACSM newer recommendations AGAINST percentage of CHO
■ 4,000 Cal/Day @ 50% CHO for 70kg athlete
 ● = 7.1 g CHO / kg
■ 2,000 Cal/Day @ 60%
● = 5 g CHO / kg