Tips for managing your glycogen reserve
The body and especially the muscles need energy to work. This is why food has a key role during a sporting effort. Indeed, eating a balanced and diversified diet (i.e. proteins, carbohydrates, fibers) increases energy reserves. Thus, the management of energy is essential for any sportsman because it directly influences his ability to make an effort. Before practicing an endurance sport, such as triathlon, marathon or trail, the athlete must fill his muscle energy reservoir to the maximum. To do this, he must consume a significant amount of glycogen.
But what is glycogen?
Glycogen is the storage of several glucose molecules both in the muscles (muscle glycogen) and in the liver (liver glycogen). It is formed thanks to the carbohydrates we ingest (pasta, rice, legumes, quinoa, potatoes, etc.). These are then consumed by part of the body and stored in our muscles and liver. Glycogen has the ability to quickly release glucose into the bloodstream and thus provide the energy needed by the muscles to function during exercise, hence the importance of building up a glycogen reserve when approaching a sporting event.
The importance of glycogen during a sports effort :
Glycogen is the first source of energy consumed by the body during an effort. Indeed, glucose, unlike lipids or amino acids, is the nutrient used primarily by the muscles. Its consumption depends on 2 factors, namely the intensity and duration of the effort. It is considered that an athlete with a balanced diet has enough glycogen to provide energy for 1 to 1.5 hours. After that, the glycogen stock weakens and is depleted, thus reducing performance. Who has never experienced the famous "marathon wall" (and the feeling of not having enough juice to finish the race)? To limit this effect, taking energy drinks, gels or bars is recommended to replenish stocks and delay the appearance of fatigue.
Training is also important to improve your performance in endurance sports and naturally increase muscle glycogen levels. A strategy before effort is then recommended in view of a competition in particular to increase and optimize the reserves.
How to increase your glycogen reserve?
To better understand the process, simply see the body of the athlete as a battery. Before being fully charged, it must first be completely emptied. For that, three days before the event, the athlete must undergo a deep and intense training. 90 to 120 minutes of intense running, skiing or cycling for example. This will deplete his glycogen reserves. Immediately after this effort, it is necessary to consume 1g of carbohydrate per kilo of weight every hour for four hours. Ideally, you should take in half the hourly amount every half hour.
For example, after two hours of intense running, a 70 kg triathlete will need to eat 35g of carbohydrate every half hour for four hours.
What foods to eat?
Here are some ideas of carbohydrate-rich foods that you can alternate to make this glycogen marathon more enjoyable. For reference, all these quantities represent 15 g of carbohydrates, to be multiplied according to your weight.
- A 30 g slice of bread
- Half a bagel, muffin or pita
- One medium fruit
- 125 ml canned fruit juice
- 15 ml of honey
- 2 dates or 2 dried figs
- 3 dried prunes
It is essential to respect the regularity of taking carbohydrates every half hour. This consumption of carbohydrates does not replace any meal of the day, it must be done in addition.
In total, between the four hours after training and the three balanced meals of the day, the athlete must absorb 10g of carbohydrates per kg.
Maltodextrin: your ally in increasing energy reserves
Maltodextrin case of organic corn to increase glycogen reserves before a sporting effortTo help you increase your energy reserves, maldodextrin is a good energy intake before a competition.
Composed of sugars from starch, most often corn or wheat, its glucose molecules allow it to build up glycogen reserves. The intake of maltodextrin considerably enriches the daily carbohydrate ration without having to increase the intake of starchy foods.
Moreover, it is easily assimilated by the body without causing any digestive problems. It also prepares the body to receive a significant number of carbohydrates in the days following its absorption.
Finally, our maltodextrin is naturally rich in vitamin C thanks to acerola and organic royal jelly, ideal for preventing possible oxidative stress that may occur during the event.