How much carbohydrates are needed in endurance exercise
Q. How much carbohydrates are needed in endurance exercise?
Answer.
What is the importance of eating starchy foods or carbohydrates in sports training?
Carbohydrates are a source of energy for the body’s natural processes and also any form of exertion that the body is put under, such as physical activity. The more strenuous the activity, the more energy is required.
Individual energy requirements vary with height, weight, gender, metabolic rate, level of intensity of exercise, the frequency of exercise, the duration of exercise and, most importantly, general dietary intake.
The body is able to store some carbohydrates in the liver and the muscles. However, these stores becomes depleted after about 90 minutes of low intensity exercise and about 20 minutes after hard exercise. This is usually when fatigue can set in.
Therefore, it is important to replace carbohydrate stores during and after training and on a daily basis during regular training.
During training and or races/ events it might be necessary to have the kind of carbohydrates that generate energy quickly.
