#Carb loading series

And when you exercise, you deplete your energy storage. Your muscles usually only store small quantities of glycogen. Your body breaks down carbohydrates into sugar that enters your bloodstream and gets stored for energy use in your muscles and liver as glycogen. In this article, we’ll explore those topics in more detail.Ĭarbohydrates are macronutrients that serve a very important function in your body: They are the body’s main energy source. Why?īecause they believe carb loading (at the right times and with the right balance of macronutrient and electrolyte consumption/depletion) can lead to a bigger, stronger, tighter looking physique.īut what does the science say about carb loading? Does it work? Is it safe? On the other hand, bodybuilders go through a carb loading cycle as part of their pre-competition routine. According to the theory, this extra energy storage helps them improve their endurance during a long run, bike ride, or swim. However, each group has a drastically different reason for loading up.Įndurance competitors carb load to increase the amount of fuel available to their muscles. It’s about planning periods of high carb and low carb intake to balance energy stores.

#Carb loading series

You’ve probably heard the term carb loading thrown around, especially around athletes right before a big race as they stuff their faces with mountains of bread and spaghetti.Ĭarbohydrate loading (commonly known as carb loading) is when bodybuilders and endurance athletes eat a high number of carbohydrates in a single day or over a series of days in preparation for a competitive event.Ĭonceptually, carb loading is the same for endurance athletes (runners, cyclists, etc) and bodybuilders. It was originally published on April 20, 2016 LookinBody Web Cloud Database Management SolutionĮditor’s Note: This post was updated on October 1, 2018, for accuracy and comprehensiveness.