Glycogen is the stored form of energy from carbohydrates, or glucose. It is primarily stored in muscle tissue and liver tissue. During the day, your blood glucose is largely maintained by the food that you eat. However, during your prolonged fast at night while you sleep and during bouts of intense exercise, glycogen stores in your liver and skeletal muscle tissue are depleted to maintain your blood sugar. When you break your fast in the morning and when you refuel after exercise, you are replenishing depleted glycogen stores. Consuming small amounts of carbohydrate throughout a long workout or competitive event such as a marathon allows you to better maintain your glycogen stores and prevent depletion.
Step 1
Eat a high-carbohydrate diet during athletic training and competition periods. A 1991 study in the "Journal of Applied Physiology" found that 5 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight in the diet was sufficient to maintain glycogen stores, but 10 g per kilogram produced better results for glycogen loading and improved athletic performance. For a 180-lb. -- or 81.8 kg -- athlete, a 5-g-per-kilogram diet is about 409 g of carbohydrate per day, and a 10-g-per-kilogram diet is about 818 g of carbohydrate per day. Foods that are high in carbohydrates include grain products, fruits and vegetables.
Step 2
Drink a sports beverage that contains 6 to 8 percent carbohydrate concentration, which translates to 6 to 8 g of carbohydrates per 100 mL of fluid. Aim to replace between 40 to 75 g of carbohydrates per hour during exhaustive exercise or an athletic event.
Step 3
Refuel after exhaustive exercise or competition with a combination of carbohydrates and protein. A 2002 study in the "Journal of Applied Physiology" found that 80 g of carbohydrates combined with 26 g of protein resulted in 17 to 26 percent higher glycogen synthesis following exercise than carbohydrates alone. Sports bars are often formulated with a two-to-one or three-to-one carbohydrate-to-protein ratio, but you can also snack on a bagel with peanut butter, yogurt and granola or fruit and trail mix.
References
- "Sport Nutrition for Health and Performance"; Melinda Manore, et al.; 2009
- "Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook"; Nancy Clark; 2008
- "Journal of Applied Physiology"; Early Postexercise Muscle Glycogen Recovery is Enhanced with a Carbohydrate-Protein Supplement; John L. Ivy, et al.; October 2002
- "Journal of Applied Physiology"; Dietary Carbohydrate, Muscle Glycogen, and Power Output During Rowing Training; J.C. Simonsen, et al.; April 1991
- "Nutritional Sciences: From Fundamentals to Food"; Michelle McGuire, et al.; 2009
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