Storing carbohydrates – what is it and how do I do it?

It should no longer come as a surprise that carbohydrates are essential fuel during exercise. In previous blogs, you have already read why you need these carbohydrates, how much you should take during exercise, what types of carbohydrates there are and which products are best for taking them. However, optimal athletic performance starts with the right preparation in the days leading up to the event. A fully fuelled tank is indispensable for this. By stacking carbohydrates (‘carbo loading’) in the run-up to a training session or competition, you can guarantee that your tank is filled to the brim. You can read how to do this and when it will benefit you in this blog.

In summary:

• Increasing glycogen stores by piling on the carbohydrates in the run-up to an important event has been proven effective and increases performance capacity for efforts lasting longer than 75 to 90 minutes.
  
• The ‘old protocol’, which required eating a very carbohydrate-rich diet for many days in a row (and even depleting glycogen stores beforehand), is outdated. More recent studies show that stacking carbohydrates for 1 to 2 days is sufficient.
• During this period, take 8 to 10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day. Divide this large amount of energy preferably over 3 meals and snacks during the day. Always combine this with relative rest.
• Choose (partially) for easily digestible and liquid carbohydrate sources and limit the intake of protein and fat-rich products, especially if you are sensitive to stomach or intestinal complaints.
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The discovery that laid the foundation for modern carbohydrate loading

In the 1960s, a group of Scandinavian scientists demonstrated for the first time that eating carbohydrate-rich products resulted in greater glycogen stores, which is the main fuel supply during exercise. They also demonstrated that when these glycogen stores were first depleted (by not eating any carbohydrates for a few days and instead engaging in intensive exercise) and then a very carbohydrate-rich diet was followed, the glycogen stores were filled even more than when a normal, carbohydrate-rich diet was followed daily. This was described as ‘glycogen supercompensation’, which still forms the basis of contemporary carbohydrate loading (or ‘carbo loading’), in which one tries to further increase the regular glycogen supply in the run-up to an important event.

Simplifying the Approach for Athletes: New Research Results

However, the above protocol proved to be very stressful for athletes in practice. After all, they had to deplete their glycogen stores for several days by training hard and not eating carbohydrates. This certainly does not benefit recovery in the run-up to an important competition. That is why scientists decided to investigate whether only a diet very high in carbohydrates for a few days could achieve the same effect without first having to deplete glycogen stores. The results of this study confirmed that such a high carbohydrate intake for 6 to 7 days could have a similar effect, and not much later, new research even showed that this could be achieved in 1 to 2 days. A week of eating huge plates of pasta or drinking lots of sugary drinks in the run-up to a marathon or cycle tour, a familiar phenomenon among amateur athletes, therefore turned out to be completely unnecessary.

The new approach to effective carbohydrate loading

The current guideline is therefore that a carbohydrate intake of 8 to 10 grams per kilogram of body weight per 24 hours, for 1 to 2 days, is sufficient to supercompensate the glycogen stores, and thus successfully stack carbohydrates. For someone weighing 70 kilos, that means about 560 to 700 grams of carbohydrates per day. Relative rest, i.e. no real training load, is crucial here. This ensures that your muscles will have extra fuel available, which is particularly beneficial for efforts lasting longer than 75 to 90 minutes. This could include running a (half) marathon, taking a longer cycling tour, but also playing an important football match. To consume this large amount of carbohydrates in an easy and pleasant way, it is recommended to divide the total amount over 3 carbohydrate-rich meals and snacks. If you experience gastrointestinal problems when consuming this large amount of energy, focus on easily digestible and liquid carbohydrate sources, such as white bread, white rice, sweet spreads and soft drinks or fruit juice. Also limit your protein intake and avoid high-fat products as much as possible.

You can find an example here:

CARBOHYDRATE LOADING: EXAMPLE 70kg