Schabort, E. J., Burke, L. M., Hawley, J. A., Gibson, A., Mujika, I., & Noakes, T. D. (1999). The effect of carbohydrate loading on 100-km cycle time trial performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 31(5), Supplement abstract 296.

A placebo-controlled study, compared the effects of a 9 g/kgBW carbohydrate loading diet to a 6 g/kgBW carbohydrate normal diet on simulated 100-km cycling time-trial performance. The time-trial included five 1-km and four 4-km sprints. CHO was ingested during each trial to maintain CHO availability. Trained cyclists (N = 7) trained and ate normally before each trial.

Compared to normal, preexercise muscle glycogen was significantly higher in the loading trial. However, there were no differences in the time to complete the 100-km trial or mean power output. There were no differences in postexercise muscle glycogen.

Implication. Carbohydrate loading does not provide any performance benefit for a simulated 100-km cycling time trial.

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