CHO SUPPLEMENTATION: HOW MUCH CHO IS IMPORTANT NOT WHEN IT IS INGESTED

Anantaraman, R., Carmines, A. A., Gaesser, G. A., & Weltman, A. (1995). Effects of carbohydrate supplementation on performance during 1 hour of high-intensity exercise. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 16, 461-465.

Compared to a placebo, pre-exercise ingestion of CHO (glucose polymer; 30 gm in 10% solution) resulted in less drop-off in power output during 1 hour of high-intensity exercise (starting at 90% VO2peak). No further benefit was observed when the same CHO amount was ingested every 15 minutes during exercise.

Implication. In exercise bouts that involve very high intensity work and subsequent performance drop-offs, when and how CHO is supplemented does not seem to matter. Pre-exercise ingestion of 30 gm was as influential as in-exercise ingestion.

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