Learn about carb loading and how to do it below. Carb loading is a nutritional strategy most often used by endurance athletes to increase stored energy in the form of glycogen for better performance.

Carbohydrates , which provide the glycogen, are consumed in high amounts a few days or directly ahead of a competition or training session. Usually, this practice is combined with reduced activity to better preserve the glycogen stores being created. While your body needs proteins and fats as well as carbohydrates, carbs are the macronutrient most efficiently metabolized for energy.

When more carbohydrates are consumed than the body can use right away, the excess glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles for later use. Glycogen is the stored form of carbohydrates.

Glycogen is stored in your muscles and liver, and when you perform any activity, the body draws on the stores you have available. Your stored glycogen is then sent to your muscles during intense exercise. For regular activity or shorter workouts, the amount of glycogen you have is often enough.

But extra glycogen, along with carbohydrate consumption during exercise, may be necessary for those pursuing activities for a long duration or for activities that are more intense. Typically refueling during exercise is needed beyond 60 minutes of exercise when the workout intensity is high.

To provide that extra energy and prevent fatigue, consuming a large number of carbohydrates can be beneficial. Available glycogen stores and their depletion are considered a limiting performance factor, meaning that running out of this fuel source can prevent you from doing your best.

If you are going to be exercising for more than 90 minutes, carb-loading could be worth trying. But, for recreational or personal training sessions, carb-loading may not be necessary. Still, if you are hoping to beat a personal best or competing in an event, this nutritional strategy could give you the boost you need to succeed.

Carb loading is most often used by endurance athletes or for prolonged sports with intense bursts such as:. If you are attempting carb-loading for the first time, you may wish to give it a trial run before an important competition to see how your body responds.

Some people may find that overconsuming carbs makes them feel heavy or sluggish. Or, they may need to monitor the timing and type of carbs they eat closely. After a trial run with carb-loading, you may decide you like how it impacted you. In this case, use this technique before a competition as a strategy to boost performance.

Most people can store about 1, to 2, calories in their liver and muscles as glycogen fuel. These stores will provide energy for 60 to 90 of vigorous activity. Research suggests a high carbohydrate intake of 10 grams per kilogram 4. The number of carbohydrates you will need can vary, with studies suggesting 8 grams and up to 12 grams per kilogram 3.

The table below indicates what that would look like for some specific body weights. A 3-day carb-loading strategy is most common and likely the most effective. Begin 72 to 96 hours before your event. Here's how to implement this strategy. Carbohydrates are either simple or complex. Simple carbohydrates digest quickly and convert readily into glucose.

These are foods such as juices, sugar-sweetened beverages, candy, white sugar, and honey. Complex carbohydrates digest slower, providing a more sustained release of glucose and contain more fiber and nutrients. These are foods such as brown rice, whole-grain bread, whole fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes.

Four hours before your event begins, consume grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight, especially if the high-intensity exercise will be greater than 90 minutes.

Then consume closer to 0. Some people may be able to tolerate intake at 30 minutes before performance without having a "hypoglycemic rebound" if they stretch beforehand or train with this eating pattern.

If you cannot tolerate food, you may consider drinking a 6. Some studies have suggested that choosing carbohydrates low on the glycemic index—meaning those that release into the bloodstream at a slower rate—are best for carb loading because they provide a steadier stream of energy.

However, this concept has been debated. Furthermore, the type of carbohydrate, timing, and the amount that each athlete requires for optimal performance is unique to them. If you choose to carb load before an event, you will still likely need to supplement more carbohydrates during the activity.

Carb loading might be an effective strategy for those looking to boost performance during prolonged, intense activity. Consuming more carbohydrates along with reduced activity for a few days before an event might preserve and load the body with energy stores in the form of glycogen.

However, this strategy is not necessarily going to work for everyone, and the type, timing, and amount of carbs required will be unique for each person. Other factors such as recovery, fitness level, and hydration can also affect performance.

Experiment with carb loading before a big competition to determine how your body responds. Canadian Academy of Sports Nutrition. Carbohydrate loading. Kanter M. High-quality carbohydrates and physical performance: Expert panel report.

Nutr Today. Kerksick, C. et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Simple carbohydrates are foods lacking fibre, such as fruit juice and sweets. Complex carbohydrates contain fibre, such as oatmeal and whole fruit.

Carbohydrates are rated on a scale called the glycemic index GI , which represents how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food increases blood sugar levels after ingestion. Low glycemic foods include green vegetables, most fruits, beans and whole grains.

High glycemic foods include white rice, white breads, and white potatoes. We will discuss that in the next section. resistance training and aerobic needs oxygen to produce energy, e. endurance training exercise. Maximising glycogen stores can reduce fatigue during both anaerobic and aerobic exercise.

However, most of the promising research shows results in aerobic, endurance-based activities. Carb loading for short-duration activity Very few studies have investigated the impact of carb loading on short-duration anaerobic performance. A study in male basketball players found no difference in peak power after seven days of carb loading following a four-week low carbohydrate diet.

However, after seven days of carbohydrate loading and replenishing glycogen storage, peak power returned to baseline. This means carbohydrate loading following a four-week low carb diet is effective at recovering baseline anaerobic power, emphasising the importance of glucose availability for optimal performance.

Another research study looked at the impact of carb loading on jump squat power and found no improvement. So, we can conclude carb loading is not necessary for anaerobic, short-duration exercise but the amount of glucose available at the start of an activity is an important factor.

Carb loading for long-duration activity The effects of carbohydrate loading on long-duration endurance exercise have garnered much more attention in the research world. In other research based on individual running race times, carbohydrate loading failed to improve times for 10km and 25km treadmill runs.

However, carbohydrate loading prior to a 30km cross-country run and a 30km treadmill run limited fatigue in well-trained athletes. Therefore, carbohydrate loading extends the time to glycogen depletion in running events longer than 30 km , ultimately allowing athletes to maintain race speed for a longer duration and improve race times.

It appears endurance activities greater than 90 minutes support the practice of carbohydrate loading as an effective strategy to improve performance and exercise capacity. Gender differences There appears to be some discrepancies between women and men using glycogen stores during activity.

Women tend to have lower resting muscle glycogen concentrations, which can impact the benefits of carbohydrate loading. Research has shown large differences in these benefits when comparing males and females.

Knowing this, it may be beneficial for women to increase total calorie and carbohydrate ingestion during the loading phase to maximise glycogen stores. An important factor to consider for carbohydrate utilisation during endurance exercise is the glycogen availability beforehand.

Skeletal muscle has the ability to increase the amount of glycogen stores through training and diet. However, this does not happen overnight and needs hours of high carbohydrate intake to occur. While carb loading tends to favour performance benefits for endurance events greater than 90 minutes, it is just one dietary manipulation method in the tool kit for athletes.

Athletes should plan their carbohydrate intake based on sport-specific and goal-specific outcomes. Overall carbohydrate intake is important pre-, post-, and possibly during events lasting longer than 60 minutes physical activity. Another benefit of adequate glycogen availability for endurance exercise is improved skeletal muscle repair and recovery.

Higher glycogen stores improve post-exercise muscle recovery. Different results are likely contributed to small sample sizes, sport-specification, and population e. Further, protocols for carbohydrate loading differ in research and practice.

Abstain from too much wine, beer, and alcoholic beverages; they are not only poor sources of carbs, but are also dehydrating. Drink enough alcohol-free beverages to produce a significant volume of urine every two to four hours. The urine should be pale yellow, like lemonade.

Be sure to take a look at the following article on drinking fluids. Many endurance athletes eat only carbs and totally avoid protein-rich foods the days before their event. BAD IDEA. Your body needs protein on a daily basis. Hence, you can and should eat a small serving of low-fat proteins such as poached eggs, yogurt, turkey, or chicken as the accompaniment to most meals not the main focus , or plant proteins such as beans and lentils as tolerated.

Learn more about protein needs and the athlete by clicking the following link. PROTEIN: The Pros, Cons, and Confusion. Carb-loading is just part of the fueling plan. What you eat on the day of the event is critically important and helps to spare your limited muscle glycogen stores.

So fuel yourself wisely both BEFORE AND DURING the event—and hopefully you will enjoy miles of smiles! When carbo-loading, you want to consume about 3 to 5 grams carbohydrates per pound of body weight. You can find carbohydrate info on food labels and www.

If you have any concerns or questions about your nutritional needs, seek the consultation of a local sports nutritionist for appropriate care.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD is Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics. She counsels casual and competitive athletes in her private practice at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill MA Her bestselling Sports Nutrition Guidebook and food guides for new runners, marathoners, soccer players and cyclists are available at www.

Carbo-loading: Tips for Endurance Athletes By Terry Zeigler, EdD, ATC Does carbo-loading mean stuffing myself with pasta? Training Tactics The biggest change in your schedule during the week before your event should be in your training, not in your food. Fueling Tactics You need not eat hundreds more calories this week.

Meal Timing NYC Marathon Queen Grete Waitz once said she never ate a very big meal the night before a marathon, as it usually would give her trouble the next day. Fluids Be sure to drink extra water, juices, and even soda pop, if desired.

Consuming more carbohydrates along with reduced activity for a few days before an event might preserve and load the body with energy stores in the form of glycogen. However, this strategy is not necessarily going to work for everyone, and the type, timing, and amount of carbs required will be unique for each person.

Other factors such as recovery, fitness level, and hydration can also affect performance. Experiment with carb loading before a big competition to determine how your body responds. Canadian Academy of Sports Nutrition. Carbohydrate loading. Kanter M. High-quality carbohydrates and physical performance: Expert panel report.

Nutr Today. Kerksick, C. et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14, 33 Mata F, Valenzuela PL, Gimenez J, et al. Carbohydrate availability and physical performance: Physiological overview and practical recommendations.

Burke LM, Hawley JA, Wong SH, Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrates for training and competition. Journal of Sports Sciences. By Rachel MacPherson, BA, CPT Rachel MacPherson is a health writer, certified personal trainer, and exercise nutrition coach based in Halifax. Use limited data to select advertising.

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Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Sports Nutrition. By Rachel MacPherson is a health writer, certified personal trainer, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and exercise nutrition coach based in Halifax.

Rachel MacPherson, BA, CPT. Learn about our editorial process. Learn more. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates.

Medically reviewed by Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDCES, CPT. Carb-loading involves increasing carbohydrate intake around one to four days before a sporting event. Excess carbohydrates are stored in the muscle as glycogen, which offers a source of protein during physical exertion.

The idea of carb-loading is to maximize glycogen stores in muscles before a competition, helping to improve stamina. Loading up on carbs before an event works best for endurance sports such as marathon running, long-distance cycling, cross-country skiing, and lap swimming.

In general, carb-loading is best reserved for activities that involve more than 90 minutes of nonstop moderate to high-intensity exertion.

When applied to a training routine properly, carb-loading can help athletes to go for longer without experiencing fatigue. Normally, only small amounts of glycogen are stored in muscles, and when this supply runs out, exhaustion sets in. Carb-loading increases glycogen stores in tissues, giving individuals more energy at their disposal to use during competition.

Eating plenty of carbohydrates also helps to build muscle mass and prevent age-related muscle loss.

Allow at least two easy or rest days pre-event. You need not eat hundreds more calories this week. You simply need to exercise less. This way, the to 1, calories you generally expend during training can be used to fuel your muscles. All during this week, you should maintain your tried-and-true high-carbohydrate training diet.

Drastic changes can easily lead to upset stomachs, diarrhea, or constipation. For example, carbo-loading on an unusually high amount of fruits and juices might cause diarrhea.

On the other hand, too many white flour, low fiber bagels, breads, and pasta might clog your system. Be sure that you carbo-load, not fat-load. Some athletes eat gobs of butter on a dinner roll, big dollops of sour cream on a potato, and enough dressing to drown a salad.

These fatty foods fill both the stomach and fat cells but leave muscles poorly fueled. The better bet is to trade the fats for extra carbohydrates.

That is: instead of devouring one roll with butter for calories, have two plain rolls for calories. Enjoy pasta with tomato sauce rather than oil or cheese toppings. Choose low-fat frozen yogurt, not gourmet ice cream.

NYC Marathon Queen Grete Waitz once said she never ate a very big meal the night before a marathon, as it usually would give her trouble the next day.

She preferred to eat a bigger lunch. You, too, might find that pattern works well for your intestinal tract.

That is, instead of relying upon a huge pasta dinner the night before the event, you might want to enjoy a substantial carb-fest at breakfast or lunch. This earlier meal allows plenty of time for the food to move through your system.

You can also carbo-load two days before if you will be too nervous to eat much the day before the event. The glycogen stays in your muscles until you exercise. Then graze on crackers, chicken noodle soup, and other easily tolerated foods the day before your competition.

Learning the right balance takes practice. Hence, each long training session leading up to the endurance event offers the opportunity to learn which food—and how much of it—to eat.

This weight gain is good; it reflects water weight and indicates you have done a good job of fueling your muscles. For every ounce of carb stored in your body, you store almost three ounces water.

Be sure to drink extra water, juices, and even soda pop, if desired. Abstain from too much wine, beer, and alcoholic beverages; they are not only poor sources of carbs, but are also dehydrating.

Drink enough alcohol-free beverages to produce a significant volume of urine every two to four hours. The urine should be pale yellow, like lemonade.

Be sure to take a look at the following article on drinking fluids. Many endurance athletes eat only carbs and totally avoid protein-rich foods the days before their event.

BAD IDEA. Your body needs protein on a daily basis. Hence, you can and should eat a small serving of low-fat proteins such as poached eggs, yogurt, turkey, or chicken as the accompaniment to most meals not the main focus , or plant proteins such as beans and lentils as tolerated.

Instead, what you should go for are foods that are high in carbohydrates and low in fibre to maximise glycogen storage and minimise digestive discomfort. These include:. Refined grains. Choose white bread, white rice, or pasta.

While whole grains are generally healthier, they're higher in fibre, which can lead to digestive discomfort when consumed in large quantities. Refined grains, on the other hand, are more easily digested, and are therefore more appropriate to meet the high carb needs during carb loading.

Starchy vegetables. Potatoes and sweet potatoes without skin, as well as taro are some good choices. Fruit juices and canned fruits. These are high in simple sugars which are more carbohydrate-dense than fresh fruit. It is acceptable to include foods and drinks high in refined sugars, such as juices, flavoured milk, canned fruit, and smoothies as part of the diet to meet the high carb needs during the carb loading phase.

Low-fat dairy. Milk, yogurt, and low-fat cheeses provide carbohydrates along with some protein for muscle recovery. Flavoured low-fat milks and yoghurt are a good way to provide lots of carbohydrates in a small volume.

If you're interested in learning more about carb loading or are going to go on the diet for an upcoming event, our experienced dietitians can help.

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The practice of carbohydrate loading carb loading is often used by athletes to enhance performance and endurance in their sports events. But is it suitable for everyone?

What is carb loading? What are carbohydrates? Who is carb loading for? What are the benefits of carb loading? How do I practise carb loading? What are common carb loading mistakes? Carb loading can come with several pitfalls that can interfere with its success.

These include: Overeating Carb loading doesn't mean you should increase your total daily calories. Neglecting hydration Do not neglect to consume sufficient fluids prior to an endurance event to ensure that you are adequately hydrated.

Insufficient carb intake Another common mistake is not consuming enough carbohydrates to maximise glycogen stores. Consuming excessive fibre Some athletes consume too much fibre while carb loading, leading to gastrointestinal discomfort. Choosing the wrong foods Some people make the mistake of consuming high-fibre or fatty foods during their carb loading phase.

Ignoring protein While the focus of carb loading is on carbohydrates, protein should not be completely overlooked. Neglecting to trial during training The days leading up to a race are not the time to try a new dietary strategy.

What are some foods to eat when carb loading? These include: Refined grains. References Burke, L. Clinical sports nutrition. McGraw-Hill Education Australia Pty Ltd. ou Burke, L.

Carbohydrates for training and competition. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29 sup1 , SS Burke, L. Carbohydrates and fat for training and recovery. Journal of Sports Sciences, 22 1 , Currell, K. Superior endurance performance with ingestion of multiple transportable carbohydrates.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 40 2 , Ivy, J. Dietary strategies to promote glycogen synthesis after exercise. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 26 S1 , SS Kerksick, C. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 5 1 , Nieman, D.

Potential impact of nutrition on immune system recovery from heavy exertion: a metabolomics perspective. Nutrients, 9 5 , Sherman, W. The effect of exercise and diet manipulation on muscle glycogen and its subsequent utilisation during performance. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2 02 , Stellingwerff, T.

Systematic review: Carbohydrate supplementation on exercise performance or capacity of varying durations. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 39 9 , Thomas, D. Position of the academy of nutrition and dietetics, dietitians of Canada, and the American college of sports medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance.

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