The Effects of Carbohydrate Loading on Muscle Glycogen Content and Cycling Performance
Abstract
This study compared the effects of supplementing the normal diets of 8 endurance-trained cyclists with additional carbohydrate (CHO), in the form of potato starch, for 3 days on muscle glycogen utilization and performance during a 3-hr cycle ride. On two occasions prior to the trial, the subjects ingested in random order either their normal CHO intake of 6.15 ± 0.23 g/kg body mass/day or a high-CHO diet of 10.52 ± 0.57 g/kg body mass/day. The trial consisted of 2 hr of cycling at ~75% of with five 60-s sprints at 100% at 20-min intervals, followed by a 60-min performance ride. Increasing CHO intake by 72 ± 9% for 3 days prior to the trial elevated preexercise muscle glycogen contents, improved power output, and extended the distance covered in 1 hr. Muscle glycogen contents were similar at the end of the 3-hr trial, indicating a greater utilization of glycogen when subjects were CHO loaded, which may have been responsible for their improved cycling performance.
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CHO loading using a similar pattern and amount of carbohydrate intake during the mid-luteal phase fails to change resting muscle glycogen concentrations or only documents a modest increase of 13%, compared to what is generally reported for male athletes (18-47%) or female athletes during the follicular phase (17-31%).
“CHO loading using a similar pattern and amount of carbohydrate intake during the mid-luteal (ML) phase failed to change resting muscle glycogen concentrations [182] or only documented a modest increase (13%) [186] compared to what is generally reported for male athletes (18–47%) [185,187–191] or female athletes during the follicular phase (17–31%) [184,185].”
From International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutritional concerns of the female athlete (2023) · cites this paper as [187]
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- Authors
- Rauch, L. H. G., Rodger, I., Wilson, G. R., Belonje, J. D., Dennis, S. C., Noakes, T. D., & Hawley, J. A.
- Affiliations
- South African Medical Research Council (ZA)
- Venue
- International Journal of Sport Nutrition
- Publisher
- Human Kinetics
- Published
- 1995-03
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 25-36
- ISSN
- 1050-1606 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2161733217
- Cited by
- 84
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Sport Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- carbohydrate loading, muscle glycogen, cycling performance, endurance cyclists, potato starch, high-carbohydrate diet, glycogen utilization, output power, endurance exercise
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Bicycling, Blood Glucose, Dietary Carbohydrates, Glycogen, Humans, Lactates, Male, Solanum tuberosum, Starch, Muscle, Skeletal
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