FUELING FOR EXERCISE AND RECOVERY: HOW TO OPTIMIZE CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE

Course overview

Athletes are always seeking strategies to improve performance. Adequate carbohydrate stores (muscle and liver glycogen and blood glucose) are critical for optimum athletic performance during intermittent high-intensity work and prolonged endurance exercise. Fueling with adequate carbohydrates before, during and after endurance events can enhance performance in endurance and ultra-endurance events. New research shows that using multiple carbohydrate sources compared with a single source allows for a greater consumption of carbohydrate in events lasting several hours. Nutritional strategies that enhance carbohydrate availability before, during and after exercise can improve an athlete’s performance.