Determine the Requirement of carbohydrate for Endurance Events?
For endurance events like sprinting (100 m run), football, hockey, the carbohydrate intake can be placed at 7:10 g per kg body weight. While for endurance events lasting more than 90 minutes, carbohydrate loading may be required. Carbohydrate loading is based on the principle of depletion-repletion (first depleting the glycogen stores by lowering carbohydrate intake and increasing training schedules and then after few days increasing carbohydrate intake and tapering down of training),
However, currently the regime of carbohydrate loading being followed begins 6 days before competition. The athletes are asked to consume carbohydrates providing 50- 55% of total calories and to taper down exercise slowly for the first three days. In the last three days of this regime, the tapering down of exercise continues, while carbohydrate intake is increased up to the level of 60-70%. This increases glycogen stores in the body. Care should be taken to choose .carbohydrate sources. Complex carbohydrates including grains and fruits are better choices -than simple or refined sugars.