Carb Loading For Runners?

Myprotein.com Sports Scientist Ross Edgley explains the how and why of a successful carboloading strategy and presents a some useful options from the Myprotein.com range

As far back as the 1960’s athletes have been increasing their carb intake pre-race to improve their athletic performance, with many weird and wonderful ways being trialed. But it wasn’t until recent years that the ‘art of carb-loading’ had been perfected to ensure muscles are fully fuelled and athletes can prevent (or at least reduce) the onset of fatigue during a long run.

Firstly it’s important to note that the average runner can only store enough muscle glycogen (the muscle’s form of energy) to sustain 90 minutes of exercise at the most. After this 90 minutes a runner will start to fatigue badly due to the lack of muscle glycogen and this is the point athletes hit ‘the wall.’ Now whilst isotonic sports drinks, carb gels and even a banana mid race may help, studies show increasing your carb intake 3 days before could be the most effective way of ensuring you’re fully fuelled for your workout, race or run.

Previous carb loading techniques included one known as ‘glycogen stripping.’ This involved 3 days of heavy training, high protein/fat and low carbs (carbs made up 10% of their total energy intake) followed by 3 days of light training and high carbs (90% of their total energy intake.) The theory behind it was by depleting the body of carbs first (during the first 3 days) the body would better absorb and use the carbs (known as ‘super compensation’) during the high carb phase (the final 3 days.) However studies have shown this method can be exhausting for the athletes, the heavy training can put stress on the central nervous system and also increase the risk of injury, the low carbs and heavy training can affect the immune system and more importantly results on race day can be inconsistent.

Interestingly studies later found that optimal carbohydrate loading could be achieved by simply increasing your carbohydrate intake 3 days before a race, without the ‘glycogen stripping’ beforehand. Generally speaking, you need around 5-7g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight or 60 per cent of your daily calorie intake from carbohydrates. This usually works out at around 1,500kcal from carbohydrate per day for most women and 1,800kcal for men. But as stated in ‘The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition;’ during the carb-loading period, aim to up your carbohydrate intake to 8-10g per kilogram of body weight (A. Bean et al, 2003.) For a 75kg runner, that works out at between 600g and 750g per day.

To even more efficiently ‘carb load’ ensure the carbs you eat are spaced out evenly throughout the day, for example if you were to consume 750 grams per day, try separating them into 7 small meals, each containing 107 grams of carbohydrates, eaten roughly 2 hours apart. Not only does this ensure your muscles efficiently absorb all the carbohydrates, but it also helps to regulate blood sugar levels therefore avoiding making you feel dizzy or lethargic.

For some people, eating this amount of carbohydrates can be hard. That’s why Myprotein.com have a comprehensive range of carbohydrates, including isotonic drinks, bulk powders you can easily mix in a shake and high carb snacks, designed to help give your body the fuel it needs:

Instant Oats

Instant Oats are a fantastic source of low Glycemic Index (GI) carbohydrates that have been milled down in to an ultra fine powder so it can be easily consumed as a drink when mixed with your preferred liquid.

100 grams will provide 70.7 grams of quality carbs and is only £2.49 for 1kg.

www.myprotein.com/uk/products/instant_oats

Vitargo Pure

Vitargo Pure is derived from barley starch and has a large molecular size which means it has a low osmolality compared to simple sugars like fructose and dextrose, therefore it can pass through the stomach twice as fast, this is one of the reasons it’s used in sports drinks and by Olympic athletes.

75 grams will provide 69 grams of carbs and is £14.99 for 1kg.

www.myprotein.com/uk/products/vitargo_pure

Tri Carb

Tri Carb is a high quality carbohydrate energy drink designed to fuel your exercise from beginning to end. This formula has been created to ensure maximal carbohydrate absorption through its unique blend of 3 different carbohydrates, Palatinose, Maltodextrin and Fructose.

100 grams will provide 94 grams of carbs and is £8.49 for 800g.

www.myprotein.com/uk/products/tri_carb

MyBar Oats and Whey

MyBar Oats and Whey is a meal replacement bar containing 43.8 grams of carbohydrates per bar and 22 grams of protein. Ideal for fuelling the muscles, it contains the ratio 2:1 carbohydrates : protein.

Each box contains 18 x 88g bars and is £20.99 per box.

www.myprotein.com/uk/products/oats_and_whey