CARBOHYDRATE-LOADING: A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE METHOD OF IMPROVING ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE

Carbohydrate-loading prior to distance events is a common practice among endurance athletes. The purposes of this paper are to review previous research and to clarify misconceptions which may exist concerning carbohydrate-loading. The most effective method of carbohydrate-loading involves a training run of sufficient intensity and duration to deplete the muscle glycogen stores. This depletion run is followed by three days on a low carbohydrate diet (15 percent) with training maintained at 70-80 percent of usual mileage. On days four through seven the diet should be changed to one high (80-85 percent) in carbohydrates and the training greatly reduced (10-15 percent of usual mileage). Several criticisms of this procedure are discussed and recommendations for the safe and prudent use of carbohydrate-loading are presented. (Author) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can 131 made from the original document