When our glycogen stores are well filled by a diet rich in carbohydrates, we can exert ourselves for a longer period of time. However, if the storages are empty, the typical symptoms of “out of energy” occur - the concentration deteriorates, usually accompanied with nausea and dizziness, and you have the feeling that you cannot continue any more… Almost all of us have experienced this at some time. The reason is that our brain is no longer supplied with sugar sufficiently due to an excessively low blood sugar concentration. We are suffering from an acute lack of carbohydrates! In order to prevent this happening, a regular intake of carbohydrates is important during endurance effort over a longer period of time.

Muscle glycogen content and maximum duration of a defined aerobic effort - on the bicycle ergometer - with different diets:

Glycogen storages can be “trained”

By means of specific fundamental endurance training (“slow but over a long period”), the glycogen stores can be increased.
By means of a low-fat diet correspondingly rich in carbohydrates, more carbohydrates can be stored which translates into a longer performance at higher intensity during training and competition.

Storing carbohydrates

After hard or extended training or after a competition our carbohydrate stores are depleted, and we need fresh supplies. These supplies of carbohydrates can be stored especially effectively during the first two hours after the end of the exertion. Therefore, it is important to start replenishing our glycogen storage as fast as possible.

For replenishment the best food is:

• fruit, such as bananas
• energy bars (Tip:PowerBar Performance or Harvest supply a good mixture of single and complex carbohydrates)
• beverages rich in carbohydrates, such as fruit juices (Tip: PowerBar Performance Sports Drink improves regeneration at the same time with amino acids added)
• noodles, rice, potatoes

“Carbo-loading” - super compensation before competitions

Carbo-loading is a special form of carbohydrate storage in conjunction with exhaustive training. In this respect one variant is the complete depletion of the carbohydrate stores (exertion about one week before the competition) is then subsequently replenishment beyond the actual capacity by a diet very high in carbohydrates.

Another variant of “carbo-loading” is the so-called “Saltin diet”. After the depletion of the carbohydrate stores a diet which is rich in protein and fat is taken for 2 or 3 days, prior to a rich carbohydrate diet. Durig these days, physical and mental disturbances may occur, in particular, if the training is continued. For this reason, the “Saltin diet” is rather critical in practice!