Carbo-loading: fact or fiction?

It’s the night before the biggest game of the season. Nervousness and intensity radiate from every player on the team as practice ends early to make sure everyone goes home to get a full belly and a good night sleep. All hearts and minds are set on a huge plate of Alfredo pasta with garlic bread and a bit of dessert! This similar situation, whether Friday night lights, endurance running, or the next wrestling match, plays out all over the country multiple times a week; consensus believes that the energy needed to play hard and fast comes from loading up on carbs – right? This may only be a half-truth, stretched out over time like the popular game “telephone”. Eat some extra carbohydrates the night before the game to gain some energy; turns out it may be more beneficial to structure your pre-game ritual a tad bit differently.

            A calorie is a unit of measure that is defined as: the amount of energy it takes to heat one gram of water one degree Celsius. One gram of carbohydrate is 4 calories and one gram of fat is 9 calories, meaning fats are a more dense form of energy! Most individuals will naturally burn carbohydrates for energy expenditure before their bodies will switch to burning fat. Therefore, it makes sense that having more carbohydrates present in the system will allow for a larger “fuel tank” with which to create energy when competing. Yet, contrary to popular belief, this way of thinking can cause adverse side effects. When we eat carbohydrates, whether they are simple or complex (i.e. sugary or not), our body cannot immediately use them whatsoever. Our pancreas must secrete insulin into our bloodstream to attach to the carbs to signal to the body that they are now usable – it is then, if carbs are needed - both the carb and the insulin are processed. The more carbs we consume in a meal, the more insulin is secreted, if too much is secreted and there aren’t enough carb molecules to attach to – the insulin floats in our system and are then immediately stored as fat. The more that this happens, the more our response to insulin is dulled. This idea is shown in a study published in Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, Nov. 2015. The study shows that consistently loading up on carbs will increase an athlete’s carb sensitivity. Having a high carb sensitivity will mean that whenever this individual ingests carbs, they purposely secrete excess insulin that will stay in the blood stream for a longer amount of time. Insulin that stays in the blood stream will cause lethargy and weight gain – both of which are no good for an athlete. On the contrary – an athlete should keep a diet low to moderate in carbohydrates to ensure this athlete’s insulin sensitivity will stay low, so that the individual can metabolize an intake of carbs efficiently and allow the body to use them for energy and not store them.

             Although both carbohydrates and fats are used primarily for energy, they also have other effects in the body as well, which is where the difference in their pre-game effectiveness comes into play. Have you ever eaten a big carb-laden meal and felt bloated? That is the body’s natural response to getting rid of the insulin spike created by carbs. Carbohydrates and the insulin response that is created will produce inflammation all over the body, especially in the gut and joints. Your body immediately tries to reduce and fight off the inflammation; and because of this: muscle recovery is slowed, energy is low, and general apathy sets in. Dietary fats are known to reduce inflammation in the body, especially the joints. Athletes often need a reduction of inflammation in their joints before, during, and after a big event. Keeping energy focused on performance and recovery, not on reducing inflammation allows for better overall output as an athlete.

For proper growth and recovery of: muscles, tendons and ligaments – athletes need to keep overall calorie intake high. If an athlete is to switch from a diet high in carbs to low or moderate in carbs, this will equate to low overall calories…bad news right? Nope…enter fats! Adding in the appropriate amount of good fats to your diet will allow your calorie count to stay the same and your insulin sensitivity stay high enough to use the carbohydrates that are ingested, properly! Dietary fat, as it is used in this article does not refer to trans-fat but all other fats, saturated or unsaturated. A list of good fats include: nuts, nut butter, oils (olive, macadamia, avocado, coconut, palm, flax), fish, avocado, coconuts, flax seed, real butter, cheese, heavy cream, meat, eggs, etc. Although the mainstream ideology is to limit fats, our bodies need them to create all sorts of functions in the body. Of course, as with anything – too much is bad for you – but fats are necessary and important parts of the average diet. As argued here, they can help an athlete with positive insulin sensitivity as well as a positive inflammation response!

Although carbs are an important energy source and are an integral part of our daily lives, the idea that engorging on them prior to a big competition is a myth that needs to be busted. Our bodies respond well to carbs when we keep our diet low in carbs and higher in fats. New nutritional breakthroughs show that carbs are not the end-all-be-all of energy, and that fats are vastly more energy dense and create a better response to our bodies’ daily functions. To end, it must be stressed that all individuals react to nutrition differently and each athlete must gauge their insulin sensitivity and increase or decrease carbs as it allows. Either way – put old carb mantras away and remember: fats are friends and food.

Reference:

Rossi, Carey. "The High-Carb Myth." Muscle & Performance Aug. 2016: 22-23.

Murakami, I., Et Al. "Significant Effect of a Pre-exercise High-fat Meal after a 3-day High-carbohydrate Diet on Endurance Performance." Nutrients 4.7 (2012): 625-37. PubMed. Web. 31 Aug. 2016.

"Calorie." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 4 Sept. 2016.

Brown, RC. "Nutrition for Optimal Performance during Exercise: Carbohydrate and Fat." Current Sports Medicine Reports 1.4 (2002): 222-29. PubMed. Web. 28 Aug. 2016.

Eastwood, Paul. "Insulin Sensitivity: Why You Can't Blast That Fat For Good!" Bodybuilding.com. N.p., 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.

Kasim-Karakas, Sidika, Et Al. "Responses of Inflammatory Markers to a Low-fat, High-carbohydrate Diet: Effects of Energy Intake." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 83.4 (2006): 774-79. American Society for Clinical Nutrition. Web. 9 Sept. 2016.

Is water really that important?

           Everything on this earth needs water: plants, animals, insects, and humans. It is atop the short list of things that separate our planet from every other planet in the known universe. Without it – life itself could not exist. No, I’m not here to talk about the physical evidence for water’s importance, but I will give some key facts as to why hydrating your body every day is one of the best favors you can do for yourself, and why without it – you’d be better off dead!

            Second only to oxygen, water’s importance is paramount to the nutrition of the human body, we can only live 3-7 days without it! Water is the primary component of all of our cells, tissues and blood. Even our most vital organs: lungs, blood and brain are made up of water by almost 80-95% as well as ¾ of our muscles are made of water. Water makes up the basis of our saliva and joint fluid, as well as the body’s natural lubricant. Water even plays a major role in the maintenance and regulation of several systems in our body: pH balance, metabolism, circulation, respiration, excretion, neurological function, and body temperature! In correlation with water’s assistance of these systems, proper hydration has been known to reduce symptoms in each of the following diseases and conditions: heartburn, arthritis, back pain, angina, migraines, colitis, asthma, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol. The body’s cries for water are often misinterpreted as hunger pangs since most of our water needs tend to be satisfied by food. Drinking water is a great way to satisfy hunger! Although protein provides the framework for our bodies, fats provide protection, and carbs provide the energy, it all depends on water to make it all function properly!

            Despite the overwhelming necessity of water, about 75% of those living in the United States are chronically dehydrated! Dehydration is when you have a 1% or more loss of optimum body water content. By the time you are thirsty, you are already moderately dehydrated (4-5% below optimum body water content) Dehydration can be fatal, and can even cause irreversible brain and digestive damage. Once your body drops 2% below optimum levels of water, severe fatigue, short-term memory loss, and a slight reduction of physical and mental performance set in. At 4-5% there is a decrease in work and physical performance by almost 25%. Once you drop 10% below optimum water content it is considered a medical emergency and it is highly recommended to seek professional help. The most common nutritional advice given to anyone struggling with weight issues or health issues, is drink more water – we cannot rely on our thirst mechanism.

            The rule of thumb for adequate water intake is somewhere between ½ to 1oz of water per pound of body weight. This will immediately sound like a lot to most individuals, it is something to work towards – not something you need to accomplish overnight. You will use the restroom more often but eventually that urge will subside and your body will auto-regulate and you wont be a slave to the bathroom. Making sure that you carry enough water with you at all times will reduce excuses and also be a constant reminder to continue to drink throughout the day. It is also imperative to drink another 6-12oz per 20 minutes of exercise to replenish what you lose while working out. Beware, coffee, tea, and sodas are diuretics and cause more overall loss of fluids rather as opposed to a gain of fluid. Sports drinks and sugary beverages may not be diuretics, but they are excess calories that hold less nutritional value than food and should be limited for overall health.

            When it comes to health advice, first and foremost everyone should drink more water. The majority of our bodies are made up of water; it plays a major role in the maintenance and function of almost every aspect of our bodies. Water has been known to help curb both hunger and disease. Although it plays such a huge role, a large majority of individuals in the United States are considered dehydrated. Dehydration can severely impair day-to-day functions and should be combatted vigorously by drinking all day, every day. To stay happy and healthy, stay hydrated.

Rarely is the need for anything in life ever more than what we want. 

Remember that and indulge in water!

Reference:

NAFC. Nutrition Coach Foundations. 3rd ed. Vol. 1. National Association of Fitness Certifications. www.nafctrainer.com. 2014. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.

Ericson, John. "75% of Americans May Suffer From Chronic Dehydration, According to Doctors." Medical Daily. N.p., 03 July 2013. Web. 20 Aug. 2016.

Popkin, Barry, Kristen D'Anci, and Irwin Rosenberg. "Water, Hydration and Health." Nutrition Reviews 68.8 (2010): 439-58. PMC. Web. 24 Aug. 2016.