carbohydrate loading

carbohydrate loading

n.

A dietary practice that increases carbohydrate reserves in muscle tissue through the consumption of extra quantities of high-starch foods and is often followed by some endurance athletes prior to competition.

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carbohydrate loading,

a dietary practice of some endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, intended to increase glycogen stores in the muscle tissue. The original, or "classic," carbohydrate loading regimen began with a period of several days on a low-carbohydrate diet designed to deplete stored glycogen, followed by consumption of a diet high in complex carbohydrates for 3 days before the event. A more modern approach advocates that athletes routinely consume the high-carbohydrate diet recommended for the general population (55% to 60% of total calories), and eat extra carbohydrates (70%) for 3 days before an event. The practice is controversial and is not universally accepted.

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carbohydrate

a compound of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, the latter two usually in the proportions of water (CH₂O)_n. They are classified into mono-, di-, tri-, poly- and heterosaccharides. Carbohydrates in food are an important and immediate source of energy for the body; 1 gram of carbohydrate yields 3.75 calories (16 kilojoules). They are present, at least in small quantities, in most foods, but the chief sources are the sugars and starches of plants. Herbivores are able to utilize the insoluble polysaccharides (crude fiber) because of bacterial conversion to volatile fatty acids by fermentation in the rumen and cecum.

Carbohydrates may be stored in the body as glycogen for future use. If they are eaten in excessive amounts they are converted to and stored as fat. Rapid ingestion of very large amounts in ruminants and horses causes carbohydrate engorgement.

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complex carbohydrate

polysaccharides containing either α- and β-type glycosidic bonds. Usually occurring in mixtures in food.

dietary carbohydrate

the carbohydrate components of food.

carbohydrate loading

depletion/repletion means of maximally loading glycogen into type II muscle for increased power of muscle contraction.

carbohydrate loss

glucose loss in urine due to diabetes mellitus or chronic renal disease.

carbohydrate metabolism

series of related enzymic reactions involved in the synthesis and catabolism of carbohydrates.

carbohydrate tolerance test

see glucose tolerance test.

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carbohydrate loading

Pasta loading Sports medicine The ingestion of a low-fat, low-protein, low-fiber, carbohydrate-rich meal–after previous depletion of the hepatic stores of glycogen, with the intent of maximizing glycogen storage in muscle. Cf Bicarbonate loading, Phosphate loading.