By: Hannah JonesCarbohydrate (CHO) consumption after exercise is vital for recovery and performance. The body breaks down carbohydrates into something called glucose. Glucose is used for energy, fueling most everyday activities. Any glucose that is not used is then stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. During exercise, glycogen stored in the liver and muscles is converted back to glucose to be used as energy. Glycogen store replacement is the highest if CHO are consumed within 2 hours of exercise, The effectiveness of this process is cut in half reaching toward the 4-hour mark. In table one below, the recommendations for carbohydrate intake after varying exercise intensity can be found. After exercise it is important to consume quality sources of carbohydrates. In reality, we eat a combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins at any given time, forming a balanced meal. This will provide not only the carbohydrates needed to replace the lost stores, but also help with satiety and provide essential vitamins and minerals. However, there may be times where you experience low appetite or discomfort after eating. This may happen for a number of reasons and has the potential to affect or a performance outcomes. If you are experiencing low appetite it may be due to stress or poor eating habits. Where discomfort after eating may happen due to eating too quickly or too much at a time, or intolerance to foods. In these scenarios it may be helpful to try incorporating sports drinks, liquid meals, gels, bars, jams, honey (by the spoonful), juices, or soft drinks, which are generally tolerated well. While these are not providing a variety of nutrients, any intake of carbohydrates and calories after a workout is shown to be more effective for recovery than none at all. For an example of what a day of eating might look like reference the blog titled: A Guide to Carbohydrates part 2 Experimenting with different combinations of carbohydrates and other nutrients such as proteins and fats to find what works best for each individual athlete will help to ensure that proper fueling methods are followed post exercise. However, There may be times where an athlete experiences gastrointestinal discomfort (GI discomfort) or low appetite, therefore, it may be important to experiment with different forms of carbohydrates, as the ones listed above may not be suitable.
There may be a number of reasons why GI discomfort or low appetite may occur. Some of the more common reasons for GI discomfort include, eating too quickly, consuming a large amount of carbohydrates in one sitting, consuming a large amount of fructose or “fruit sugar” in one sitting, or the presence of food intolerances some of which may not be known to the athlete. Whereas poor appetite may be linked to poor eating habits or stress. References: Burke, L., & Deakin, V. (2015). Clinical sports nutrition (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. Hedrick Fink, H., & Mikesky, A. (2021). Practical applications in sports nutrition (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Howarth, K. R., Moreau, N. A., Phillips, S. M., & Gibala, M. J. (2009). Coingestion of protein with carbohydrate during recovery from endurance exercise stimulates skeletal muscle protein synthesis in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology, 106(4), 1394–1402. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.90333.2008
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Contributing AuthorsSIUE Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Students See More Helpful Nutrition Tips Here
April 2023
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