4

Advanced Sports Nutrition

sugar and liver glycogen more rapidly. This fact alone should encourage athletes to adopt
carbohydrate intake strategies that prevent depletion.
Carbohydrate adequacy is most critical at higher levels of exercise intensity because
there is a greater reliance on carbohydrate as a source of muscular fuel. Higher-intensity
training regimens, therefore, may require more frequent intakes of carbohydrate to satisfy
need (see figure 1.1). Despite years of research confirming the importance of maintaining
carbohydrate availability for sustaining muscular endurance and mental function, many
athletes still believe protein is the single most critical nutrient for achieving athletic success.
Although protein should not be diminished in its importance, delivering the right amounts
of carbohydrate at the right times optimizes the limited carbohydrate stores, ensures better
carbohydrate delivery to the brain, reduces the possibility of depleting the limited stores,
and sustains athletic performance at a high level. Although protein is critically important
to health and most certainly plays a role in sustaining and enlarging muscle mass, reducing muscle soreness, and improving muscle recovery, consuming excessively large doses of
protein does little to improve athletic performance when it replaces carbohydrate.

Table1.1 BasicFunctionsoftheEnergySubstrates
Carbohydrate
(4 kcal/g)

Fuelforworkingmuscles(fromstarch,sugars,andglycogen)
Cholesterolandfatcontrol(fromdietaryfiber)
Digestionassistance(fromdietaryfiber)
Nutrientandwaterabsorption(fromsugars)
Maintenanceofbloodsugar(alldigestiblecarbohydrates;important
formentalfunctionanddelayedfatigue)

Protein
(4 kcal/g)

Energysource(ifcarbohydratesaredepleted)
Deliveryofessentialaminoacids(aminoacidsthebodyneedsbutcantmake)
Essentialfordevelopingnewtissue(importantduringgrowthandinjuryrepair)
Essentialformaintainingexistingtissue(helpscontrolnormalwearandtear)
Basicsubstanceinthemanufactureofenzymes,antibodies,andhormones
Fluidbalance(helpscontrolwaterlevelinsideandoutsidecells)
Carrierofsubstancesintheblood(transportsvitamins,minerals,andfattoand
fromcells)

Fat
(9 kcal/g)

Deliveryoffat-solublevitamins(vitaminsA,D,E,andK)
Deliveryofessentialfattyacids(fattyacidsthebodyneedsbutcantmake)
Energyandmuscularfuel(forlow-intensityactivity)
Satietycontrol(helpsmakeyoufeelsatisfiedfromeating)
Substanceinmanyhormones