Carbohydrate Nutrition and Fatigue

Abstract

Carbohydrates are important substrates for contracting muscle during prolonged, strenuous exercise, and fatigue is often associated with muscle glycogen depletion and/or hypoglycaemia. Thus, the goals of carbohydrate nutritional strategies before, during and after exercise are to optimise the availability of muscle and liver glycogen and glood glucose, with a view to maintaining carbohydrate availability and oxidation during exercise. During heavy training, the carbohydrate requirements of athletes may be as high as 8 to 10 g/kg bodyweight or 60 to 70% of total energy intake. Ingestion of a diet high in carbohydrate should be encouraged in order to maintain carbohydrate reserves and the abil..