One of the doubts or questions that we often ask ourselves when training but especially when competing is what and how much to eat.
Put more technically, the question would be how many carbohydrates I have to ingest during endurance physical activity. Well, here I am going to make a summary of what science says about it...
Before we start, we have to know what options we have to eat carbohydrates, the most common being energy gels and bars.
How much carbohydrate should we consume?
Carbohydrate intake can be done from minute 1, but I recommend you pay special attention from the first hour of activity, since after this time the recommendations are for a consumption of about 30g per hour.
When we pass the second hour, the glycogen stores begin to run out, if they are not already, so we have to get serious about this....in this case the recommendations amount to 60g. every hour.
For ultra-endurance events lasting 4 hours or more, things get even more complicated and we must take 90g. every hour.
Science tells us that with these amounts of carbohydrates we ensure enough energy to optimize performance.
How can I consume these amounts?
We have several options depending on what we take in the race, here are some combinations that you can make:
- For those who meet the hydration guidelines and ingest approximately 500ml of Isotonic Drink every hour: they will be assured of approx. 30g. of carbohydrates, so to reach 60g they would have to consume an Energy Gel or a 5:1 Energy Bar.
- For those who consume Isotonic Drink and water in equal parts: in this case the carbohydrate intake will be reduced by half, so we would have to consume two units of gels or bars or combine one and one (depending on tastes, disciplines, etc.).
- For those who consume only water: most carbohydrates must come from Energy Gel and/or 5:1 Energy Bar, increasing from one unit in the 2nd hour to two in the 3rd hour and reaching three or more in tests/training sessions over 4 hours.
And as I always tell you NEVER try any product and especially gels and bars on race days, supplementation is something that you also have to train. Knowing our rhythms and planning what and when we are going to take it is as important as the training itself, since bad practice or planning in supplementation can ruin our entire training.
Article written by Pablo Felipe Martín, expert technical advisor in sports nutrition at Crown Sport Nutrition
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