Maggie McDaris is a dietetic intern at MUSC Athletes training for a big endurance event should develop a strategy for carbohydrate loading to enhance performance.
 Below are seven steps to successful carbohydrate loading The drawbacks of carbohydrate loading include blood sugar changes, digestive discomfort, lightheadedness and weakness, and weight gain from the water that is inside carbohydrates. From: Culinary Nutrition, 2013
For decades, endurance athletes have ensured fast race times by loading up on carbohydrates prior to the big event. But what does carb loading really mean? Eating as much bread as you want the week prior to race day? Having a huge pasta dinner the night before? And how should amateur athletes and recreational exercisers use carbs? We'll clarify in this crash course on carbo loading. Why Carbs? During exercise, our bodies utilize our carbohydrate and fat stores for energy. Carbohydrates in the form of stored glycogen is the preferred fuel source over fat, as it provides a greater amount of energy per unit in a shorter amount of time. Carbs are also able to fuel both aerobic and anaerobic activity, whereas fat can only be used during aerobic, steady-state exercise. Your body works anaerobically during your most intense efforts, so it's key to ensure that you have enough stored carbohydrates for the hardest moments in your event. There's just one problem: The carb stores in the body are relatively small, and they can change drastically from day to day based on exercise and carbohydrate consumption or restriction. This is why it's important to mind your carbohydrate intake before, during, and after your workouts when you engage in prolonged, high-intensity exercise. Your Daily Carbohydrate Needs To understand how carbo loading works, let's identify what your baseline carbohydrate needs are based on your level of activity, with an assist from experts at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
How to Carbo Load You can help your body store additional carbohydrates in your muscles and liver by loading up on carbohydrates before a major race or event. In fact, an athlete can store anywhere between 1,800 and 2,000 calories of carbs in their bodies as glycogen by using this strategy. That amount of stored glycogen will provide fuel for 90 to 120 minutes of vigorous activity — that could mean the difference between an average race and a new personal record. While each athlete's needs are unique, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends carb loading by consuming 5 to 6 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight every 24 hours for the 36 to 48 hours prior to the event. Some experts recommend extending this preparation to 72 hours pre-event. You don't need to worry about eating a lot of carbs all the time, however: Carbo loading is most effective for high-intensity, sustained exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes. Before these kinds of efforts, focus on nutrient-rich carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy. You should also taper your training as prescribed by your coach or trainer so that these carbs can top off your glycogen stores instead of fueling other hard efforts before the big race. On the night before the main event, avoid going overboard with carbs or trying new foods. Enjoy a balanced, nutrient-dense meal that your body is familiar with, and eat an amount that would be normal for you on any given night. This will help to prevent any unwelcome cramping or stomach issues during the event. Use the same strategy for breakfast on the morning of race day: Eat a meal you'd typically have prior to any other bout of exercise. If you've followed the basic principles of carbo loading for the last day or two, your body will already be prepared to give its best performance. Carbohydrate loading, commonly referred to as carb-loading, or carbo-loading, is a strategy used by endurance athletes, such as marathoners and triathletes, to maximize the storage of glycogen (or energy) in the muscles and liver.[1] Carbohydrate loading is generally recommended for endurance events lasting longer than 90 minutes.[2][3][4] Foods with low glycemic indices are generally preferred for carbo-loading due to their minimal effect on serum glucose levels. Low glycemic foods commonly include vegetables, whole wheat pasta, and grains. Many endurance athletes have large pasta dinners the night before an event. Since muscles also use amino acids extensively when functioning within aerobic limits, meals should also include adequate protein.[5] Large portions before a race can, however, decrease race-day performance if the digestive system has not had the time to process the food regimen. Research in the 1980s led to a modified carbo-loading regimen that eliminates the depletion phase, instead calling for increased carbohydrate intake (to about 70% of total calories) and decreased training for three days before the event.[6] A new carbo-loading regimen developed by scientists at the University of Western Australia calls for a normal diet with light training until the day before the race. On the day before the race, the athlete performs a very short, extremely high-intensity workout (such as a few minutes of sprinting) then consumes 12 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of lean mass over the next 24 hours. The regimen resulted in a 90% increase in glycogen storage when compared to before the carbo-load, which is comparable to or higher than the results achieved with other 2 day – 6 day carbo-loading regimes.[7] Carbohydrate ingestion within 2 hours before aerobic exercise triggers elevated levels of insulin in the blood which may dramatically decrease serum glucose levels. This can limit aerobic performance, especially in events lasting longer than 60 minutes. This is known as transient or reactive hypoglycemia, and can be a limiting factor in elite athletes. Individuals susceptible to hypoglycemia are especially at risk for elevated insulin responses and thus will likely suffer from performance-limiting transient hypoglycemia if they do not follow the correct regimen.[8] The composition of carbohydrates in the athlete's diet during carbohydrate loading is as important as their share of the overall caloric regimen .[citation needed] Most dietary carbohydrates consist of varying proportions of two simple sugars, glucose and fructose. Fructose may be metabolized into liver glycogen[citation needed], but it is ineffective at raising muscle glycogen levels (which is the objective of carbohydrate loading).[citation needed] Consequently, sources of high-fructose carbohydrates, such as fruit and sugar-based foods, are less than optimal for the task. The classic carb-loading meal is pasta, whose caloric content is primarily due to starch, a polymer of glucose. Other high-starch meals which include bread, rice, and potatoes are also part of the correct regimen.
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Which of the following is the most effective method of carbohydrate loading before an athletic event
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