There’s a lot of bad sports nutrition information floating around. The only way to cut through the myths and find the truth about how to fuel your body for maximum endurance performance is to look at the science — or have someone look at the science for you. Ive done just that. Here are the 4 biggest myths of sports nutrition. 1. Taking in simple sugars during exercise is bad. Sugar, in the form of glucose (and also glycogen, which is the storage form of glucose in the body), is the most important energy source for intense endurance exercise. Dozens and dozens of studies have demonstrated that supplementing your body’s supply of glucose/glycogen with glucose, fructose, and other simple sugars that are easily converted to glucose during exercise enhances performance in workouts and races lasting longer than an hour. Despite this mountain of evidence, many runners still avoid using sports drinks and energy gels containing simple sugars because they are accustomed to thinking of sugar as “bad.” But sugar is only bad when you’re not running. When you are running, swimming, cycling - sugar is good! 2. There is an optimal macronutrient ratio. Should your diet be 60 percent carbohydrate, 20 percent fat, and 20 percent protein, as many sports nutrition experts recommend? Or should it be 40 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent fat, and 30 percent protein, as other experts contend? Or is the optimal macronutrient ratio for endurance performance something else? In fact, science has shown that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all optimal macronutrient ratio. 3. Its necessary to carbo-load before races. Carbo loading, or the practice of increasing dietary carbohydrate intake in the days preceding a race, is a familiar ritual for most runners. But it’s seldom necessary. Research has shown that carbohydrate loading has no effect on performance in races lasting less than about 90 minutes. Also, its effect is minimal even in longer races when adequate carbohydrate is consumed during the race. Endurance athletes as successful as six-time Ironman winner Dave Scott have never carbo-loaded. That said, it does no harm, so if it gives you confidence, go ahead and load up! 4. Eating more fat will increase your endurance. A currently popular trend among endurance athletes is eating a high-fat diet to increase the muscles’ reliance on fat for fuel during exercise and thus increase endurance by sparing the muscles’ limited glycogen stores. Studies have shown that a high-fat diet does increase the muscles’ reliance on fat for fuel during prolonged exercise, however it has no effect on performance!
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 02:22:16 +0000
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