To increase their performance, athletes apply certain strategies to achieve maximum performance by changing carbohydrate intake according to competition time. One of these is carbohydrate loading. Two types of carbohydrate loading are often used.
In the classical carbohydrate loading, 3 days of unloading + 3 days of loading. While the unloading process is applied for the longest period of time before the competition, the amount of carbohydrates is increased and the loading is done as the competition period approaches. During the unloading period, 5-10% of the diet is carbohydrates, while during the loading period, approximately 80% carbohydrates are consumed.
Disadvantages
It is difficult to apply very low and very high carbohydrate diets. During the period of low carbohydrate intake; risk of hypoglycemia, increased risk of injury, increase in muscle loss, decrease in training capacity.
During the period of high carbohydrate intake; Difficulty in training after loading, bloating in the gastrointestinal tract, feeling of discomfort, restlessness due to weight gain due to water retention, difficulty in recovery after the unloading period
Modified carbohydrate loading, on the other hand, is a more planned and easier to implement carbohydrate loading protocol that is shaped with the training tempo. .The week is evaluated in 6 days, excluding the match day.
While the training tempo is kept constant at 70% MaxVO2 throughout the week, training times are gradually reduced. In the first three days, carbohydrate intake is approximately 5gr/kg/day or 25% of daily energy.
In the second three days, as training times decrease significantly, carbohydrate intake begins to be 10gr/kg or 70% of daily energy. On the day of the competition, the nutrition style appropriate for the competition period is considered essential.
The advantages of modified loading compared to the classical method are that it minimizes negative situations such as muscle loss, decrease in training capacity, gastrointestinal disorders, and hypoglycemia risk.
The athlete can benefit from different strategies prepared by the sports dietitian according to the training tempo. can perform installation operations. Strategies made without an expert opinion may cause a decrease in performance rather than achieving success
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