Carbohydrate & Sports Performance

Question 1

Outline how much glycogen is stored in the liver and muscle??

Answer 1

Glycogen mainly stored in the liver > muscle >blood glycogen
Polysaccharides consumed broken down in the small intestines by pancreatic amylase into polysaccharides and disaccharides. Then disaccharides enzymes break them down into monosaccharides. Sent into the portal vein and then circulates as glucose. Stored into the liver as glycogen. Controlled by insulin and glucagon.

Question 2

Understand why carbohydrate is an important fuel during exercise?

Answer 2

Being proven by numerous studies that it is vital to support ongoing exercises especially continuous endurance exercises such as a marathon. It is reduced as exercise duration goes up, and longer greater the amount of glycogen.

Question 3

How does glycogen loading work?

Answer 3

With training and increased amount of carbohydrate intake, our body is told to hold onto the available glycogen by storing it in the skeletal muscles. This is because our muscles are now working harder, and needs these extra glycogen to supply energy. Otherwise, no exercise means the body will not store those unnecessary glycogen in the muscles.

Question 4

What are the main findings of the Hanson research?

Answer 4

For the train low compete high group, first session in the morning means that most of the glycogen store will be depleted since participants are on low carbohydrate diet. Then in the next session on the same day, fat oxidation increases. Overtime, our body learns to use fat a lot more as an energy source. So glycogen spared (glycogen synthase rate increased). This may. Benefit training too.

Question 5

Some factors that suppress the restoration of glycogen post exercise?

Answer 5

• eccentric exercises.
• intense recovery exercises
• low GI foods.