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PERFORMANCE
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HANNAH SHERIDAN
CONSIDERS THE
HISTORY OF
CARBOLOADING
AND HOW IT IS BEST
IMPLEMENTED
immune function and provide you
with the right sources of energy
prior to race day
 Remember that muscle
glycogen is stored with water, so
you can increase body mass by up
to 2kg during this period
Two slices of toast with jam
can be used as a late snack as
part of carbohydrate intake
S
O what exactly is carboloading and why should
you do it? The process is a
short-term strategy involving
a change in training and nutrition
with the aim of maximising muscle
glycogen (carbohydrate) stores
prior to endurance competition
lasting 90 minutes or more.
Muscle glycogen is the dominant
and most efficient energy source
used during the majority of
exercise events that we participate
in. However, it is a limited source
of energy that becomes depleted
after approximately 90 minutes
of moderate intensity exercise.
Therefore, by maximising our
carbohydrate stores through a
carbo-loading protocol, we are
able to continue to exercise at the
same given intensity, for a longer
duration. Evidence suggests that
performance is improved by 2-3%,
which over the marathon distance
would equate to a considerable
time improvement.
When?
practice impossible to be of any
use to performance.
How?
Since the 1960s when the carboloading strategy first emerged, the
protocol has varied dramatically.
Today the procedure is much less
severe, more “user friendly” and
also highly effective. Originally,
it was thought that six to eight
days was required to complete a
successful carbo-loading.
This involved a three to fourday depletion phase in which
carbohydrate stores were drained
through high-intensity training and
maintained by following a severely
low carbohydrate diet. This was
followed by a three to four-day
loading phase incorporating rest
and a high-carbohydrate diet
in order to maximise muscle
glycogen stores.
This often left athletes feeling
extremely fatigued, susceptible to
illness and in a negative mindset
when it came to the start of their
event. Steve Moneghetti, the
Commonwealth marathon gold
medallist in 1994, summarised it as
being “like death warmed up!”
The current, most effective
carbo-loading protocol can
be carried out just one to four
days prior to competition.
Carbohydrate stores have shown
to be fully restored after 24 hours
of rest combined with a high-
carbohydrate diet. Therefore,
today’s procedure does not
require a high intensity training
period or carbohydrate restricted
phase, but instead an exercise
taper in conjunction with a high
carbohydrate diet (8-12g/kg of
bodyweight).
For many, this will simply mean
continuing with your usual high
carbohydrate diet, but ensuring
that training volume is reduced
considerably.
It is wise to remember though
that carbo-loading is not one
single large pasta meal at the
marathon pasta party! It involves
an exercise taper, if not complete
rest, combined with a highcarbohydrate diet during the week
(one to four days prior) leading up
to the event.
60kg athlete
Carbohydrate intake: 9g/kg of
body mass
Breakfast: 120g of low-fibre
breakfast cereal with 250ml of milk,
one banana, 250ml orange juice
Snack: Toasted fruit teacake with
honey
Lunch: Two sandwiches (white
bread) with lean meat or tuna
filling, 200g low fat fruit yogurt
Snack: Banana smoothie with
honey and milk
Dinner: One cup of pasta sauce
with two cups of pasta, vegetables
and lean meat, two slices of garlic
bread, one glass of cordial
Late snack: Two slices of toast
with jam
 Hannah Sheridan BSc,
PGDip, MSc, is the lead sports
nutritionist at the University of
Birmingham high performance
centre, where she supports
national and international-level
athletes competing across a
range of sports
MARK SHEARMAN
Carbo-loading one to four days
prior to endurance events lasting
longer than 90 minutes can aid
performance in endurance running,
cross-country skiing, swimming,
cycling and triathlon events. In
shorter events, carbohydrate
stores are adequate to support
performance so carbo-loading is
not necessary.
Some will argue that the
performance of high-level team
sport athletes, such as footballers,
may benefit from carbo-loading.
However, the training and
competition schedule within these
sports does not allow for a taper
period, making the carbo-loading
Daily intake example
Tips for carbo-loading
 Ensure that you consume lowfibre, easily digested carbohydrate
sources to reduce the risk of
gastro-intestinal distress and
bloating such as fruit and
vegetables (with the skin and
seeds removed), white bread, white
pasta, white rice, honey, jelly and
refined cereals such as cornflakes
 Do not think of it as an
opportunity to eat as much as you
can or overconsume junk food.
This will compromise your intake
of valuable nutrients required to
help continual recovery, support
Steve Moneghetti: used old regimen
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