Carbohydrates: extra energy to athletes

Since you are looking for a sports supplement to help you gain weight and energy to your practice, here we will detail the variety of supplements based on carbohydrates that help to improve your sports performance.

Above all, remember that carbohydrates are the main energy source for most sports, especially medium and high intensity. The low-intensity exercises are fed mostly by fat. This is because the energy gained by the metabolism of carbohydrates is three times faster than that obtained through the fat.

Carbohydrate diet

In all sports, the biggest expense of carbohydrates during training is conducted, where in most of the time it usually ends with the reserves in the body. Thus, an athlete who does three or more hours of daily training must have a high intake of foods with a high percentage of carbohydrates. These foods also should have high in percentage of carbohydrates but must be low or very low in fat.

Foods low in fat and high in carbohydrates are found mainly in the group of: fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, sugar and of course, pasta made from durum wheat semolina.

A balanced diet suitable for all athletes would be: between 55 and 65% of daily caloric intake of carbohydrates, including 10-15%, meat or other protein food "supplements" for calories and fat remaining about 25-30%.

This diet should include foods from all groups: at least 6-11 servings of bread, cereals, rice and pasta; 3-5 servings of vegetables, 2-4 servings of fruit, 2-3 servings of meat, poultry, fish , dried beans, eggs and nuts group, and 2-3 servings of milk, yogurt and cheese group, which are high in nutrients and easily digested.

Types of carbohydrate supplements

However, you will see in the market you will find different types of supplements such as:

• Isotonic Products
• Energy products
• Products to start the game with power and energy
• Recoil energy products and inhibitors of lactic acid
• Protein energy Formulas

Isotonic Products

They are usually consumed by many athletes. They are all powder products that by adding water you achieve an isotonic drink. It must be consumed during sport.

Its function is to provide three elements essential to the athlete: water, minerals or electrolytes and carbohydrates.

We must keep in mind:

Osmolarity: one of the main properties and products are hypertonic, hypotonic, and isotonic.

If we take a drink hypertonic-more concentrated than the fluids in our bodies, while reaching the intestine, it does not absorb immediately, but first pass water from inside the body to the intestine. So we will be enhancing the athlete's dehydration.

Ideally, the drink is isotonic, i.e. when the number of particles in the drink is equal to the internal liquid of our bodies. This will achieve a good rehydration and recovery.

Water supply: we already know that dehydration is one of the biggest problems for the athlete. Let us note that, for example, a football player can lose three liters of water during a game. This leads to a decrease in athletic performance as it lowers the physical capacity.

Contribution of salts or electrolytes: During the activity, and dehydration, lost mineral salts or electrolytes need to be replaced.

Sodium is the electrolyte that is lost in greater quantities during the practice of sport, particularly through sweating. It helps the normal function of muscles and nerves. If not replaced properly, it reaches a low level of sodium in the body, responsible for the appearance of muscle cramps or spasms, among others.

The presence of sodium also promotes the absorption of glucose and water level of the intestine, while favoring water retention in the body, this helps the athlete to lose less water through sweating.

Potassium and magnesium are electrolytes that must be present in a sports drink, is essential to maintain the optimal functioning of the muscular activity of the organism.

Carbohydrate intake: The energy intake during sports is another key aspect to ensure optimum development of the sport. Glucose should be part of the drink as it is absorbed immediately, and once in the body, is easily and quickly used by the muscle to provide energy.

Energy products

They come in powder and dissolve in water, you get an energy drink with a high concentration of carbohydrates. Its main function is to provide energy to the athlete before, during and after physical activity.

Basic issues to consider in an energy drink are:

Carbohydrates, osmolarity, the presence of mineral salts

We can summarize that an energy drink is recommended when the athlete is paramount to sport energy, and conversely, rehydration is less important.

Products to start the game with power and energy

It is common for many athletes start training without power and need a boost before allowing you to perform training harder. There are several nutrients that provide energy and encouragement for daily training.

Oligosaccharide of glucose is one of energy sources with improved performance for the athlete.

Taurine, royal jelly and lysine are three well-known substances in the field of nutrition for their energetic, nutritional and tonic properties. They encourage the athletes and fight fatigue and stress situations providing the nutrients for maximum physical performance.

Carnitine and inositol: promote the use of fatty acids as an energy source. Fatty acid oxidation is an energy source of prime importance for athletes practicing endurance training and long life.

B group vitamins: they play an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins, which in turn are the cornerstone of nutrition for every athlete.

This type of concentrated nutrition is intended for athletes who need energy and stimulating contribution to sport at a fast pace and intensity.

Energy recovery products

Such products are very concentrated energy-rich carbohydrates, minerals and also contain compounds that are able to neutralize lactic acid. Such products have the following characteristics:

Inhibit lactic acid is produced when the muscle is forced to burn the glucose for energy in the absence of oxygen. Substances capable of neutralizing the rest of the lactic acid that we find in these products are glutamine and phosphate.

They are a source of energy: as the isotonic and energy product, such products must contain a good source of carbohydrates such as glucose and oligosaccharides glucose.

Presence of mineral salts or electrolytes: sodium, potassium and magnesium that help replenish lost levels of these elements of sweating.

Protein energy Formulas

This type of product is also known as weight gainers. Are complex formulas that contain a high percentage of carbohydrates and protein as much as possible.

Their main goal in sports supplementation is to provide a rich source of carbohydrates and proteins to allow maximum recharge the body's energy reserves.

This type of product is ideal to consume several hours before exercise and as a recovery of energy reserves following the sport.

An important fact is that since these products provide a high amount of calories, is also recommended for those who want to gain weight and increase physical constitution.

They have:

• Carbohydrate of slow, medium and fast assimilation. The idea is that it possesses a wide variety of carbohydrates to achieve a sustained absorption over time.
• Whey protein that will increase the percentage of glycogen stored in muscle.
• Vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins that help the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates.

Source: GSN Sports Nutrition

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