Carbohydrates are an Athletes Best Friend

By Dr. Theresa DeLorenzo, RD

Atkins, Keto, Macros; the list of fad diets goes on. All of these diets are promoted for weight loss. People may lose weight on them but it is not a healthy way to lose weight. Athletes need at least five to seven grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight. For a 120-pound person this equates to about 325 grams of carbohydrate per day. Before a big event this increases to seven to ten grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight. For that same 120-pound person, this means that three days before a big event, they should now be consuming almost 500 grams of carbohydrate per day. To convert your weight in pounds to kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.

Carbohydrates are what we use to fuel our muscles during exercise and what we use to convert Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) into energy. Adequate carbohydrate intake allows us to store glycogen in our liver and muscle so that it is available to us during strenuous or long durance exercise. Carbohydrates are also excellent sources of fiber, which is essential for preventing chronic disease such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. None of the aforementioned diets provide adequate amounts of carbohydrates or fiber.

Individuals who follow a low carbohydrate diet may lose weight but a lot of this is water weight. Carbohydrates allow us to pull fluid into our cells and maintain hydration. In addition, low carbohydrate intake promotes muscle and vital organ tissue breakdown for fuel. I’m presuming someone would not want to break down all of the muscle they worked so hard to gain during a workout because they are not fueling appropriately. Low carbohydrates are not sustainable over a long period of time. When rapid weight loss occurs, your metabolism is lowered which causes more rapid weight gain when a normal diet is resumed, making it harder and harder to lose weight subsequently. This yo-yo dieting is a very common cause of metabolic syndrome which can subsequently lead to chronic disease. Low carbohydrate intake for an athlete leads to fatigue, poor performance, and a weakened immune system. 

An additional risk of low carbohydrate intake is increase in the incidence of Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome (RED-S), also known as female athlete triad. This is a combination of symptoms that lead to loss of menstruation, low energy levels, loss of estrogen, and subsequently stress fractures. It was previously thought that RED-S was caused by low calcium intake or excessive exercise, but newer research points to the importance of adequate energy, specifically in the form of carbohydrates in the prevention of RED-S.  

Low carbohydrates typically equate to excessive protein intake. Ideal protein intake is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for a non-active individual. For an endurance athlete this requirement increases to 1.2-1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. When more than two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is taken in on a regular basis, it is difficult for our body to metabolize and store this amount. We convert the extra calories to fat for storage, and we must excrete the extra nitrogen taken in, further contributing to the dehydration discussed earlier with these extreme diets.

So how do you obtain this amount of carbohydrate in a healthy way? Ideal sources of carbohydrate are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Examples include sweet potatoes, bananas, brown rice, whole wheat bread and pasta, beans and lentils. Prior to exercise, a blend of carbohydrates, protein and fat should be taken in, which lowers the glycemic index of the meal. When the glycemic index is lowered, it means it doesn’t cause our blood sugar to rise and fall as quickly. For example, if an athlete eats a plain white bagel with nothing on it, their blood sugar rises quickly, they use the carbohydrates up in the first 30 minutes of the workout, and then they crash. If the bagel is changed to a whole wheat version, and a source of protein and healthy fat is added, the athlete can access the carbohydrates from that meal for a much longer period of time. Other sources of protein and healthy fat include almond butter, eggs, avocado and hummus.  

Taking in sources of carbohydrate is also important during exercise that’s done for longer than an hour. Our muscles and liver can store glycogen to help us get through a workout, but it becomes depleted after an hour’s time. It’s ideal if the carbohydrate contains a mixture of sources of sugar, versus just one source, so that different absorption processes are used. 

For example, a source of carbohydrate that contains only glucose will be used up rather quickly. Fructose is a two-step absorption process that involves the liver so it would be utilized more slowly. A source of carbohydrate that contains both would allow the athlete to obtain the glucose, which would be used right away, and then would have access to the fructose a little while later. It’s recommended that an athlete takes in 45 grams of carbohydrate per hour for optimal energy and performance. Unfortunately, many of the energy gels contain only 25 grams so waiting until an hour is not a good idea.

Fueling after a workout with carbohydrates is also important. A snack should be consumed within 30 minutes of a workout. Waiting longer stimulates the production and release of a hormone called cortisol, which leads to fat storage inflammation, and this ultimately increases the risk for weight gain and injury. Again, a balanced snack containing carbohydrates, protein and fat is recommended – such as crackers and cheese, vegetables and hummus, banana and peanut butter or berries and nuts.

If you are looking for a diet that promotes weight loss while still allowing for optimal performance, make sure you are not excluding any of the macronutrients. If it is not a plan that you can sustain for a long time, it is not worth doing. Slow weight loss may be frustrating but it is the only way to ensure that you keep the weight off and prevent chronic disease. Eating five small meals per day, each including a source of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, protein and a healthy source of fat is the best way to keep your metabolism burning – while still providing the energy you need for your workouts!

Dr. Theresa DeLorenzo, RD (theresadelorenzo123@yahoo.com) of Waterford is a registered dietitian and is obtaining board certification in sports nutrition. She’s a runner and you can learn more her sports nutrition practice at Nutrition4op.com.