How to Restore Glycogen - Part1 Restoring Glycogen after Exercis

Glycogen is the fuel reserve that keeps our body running. Glucose, obtained from carbohydrates in our diet, provides the energy we need throughout the day. Sometimes, the glucose in our body runs low, or even is depleted. When that happens, the body pulls the needed energy from glycogen stores in muscle and liver tissue, converting the glycogen into glucose. Exercise, illness, and some dietary habits, can cause the glycogen stores to be depleted more quickly. Steps to restore the depleted glycogen can vary depending on the underlying reasons for the depletion.

1 Understand the glucose-glycogen cycle. The carbohydrates in your diet are broken down to create glucose. Dietary carbohydrates provide the basic components needed to keep glucose in your blood so you have enough energy for your daily routines.

·         When your body senses that you have extra glucose, it converts the glucose to glycogen by a process called glycogenesis. The glycogen is stored in muscle and liver tissue.

·         As your blood glucose levels begin to run low, your body converts the glycogen back to glucose by a process called glycolysis.

·         Exercise can deplete the glucose in your blood more quickly, causing your body to pull on the reserved glycogen.

2 Know what happens during anaerobic and aerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise involves short bursts of activity, such as weightlifting and muscle development and training. Aerobic exercise involves longer episodes of sustained activity that cause your heart and lungs to work harder.

·         During anaerobic exercise, your body uses the glycogen stored in the muscle tissue. This causes you to reach a point of muscle exhaustion when you do several sets of repetitive muscle training exercises.

·         Aerobic exercise utilizes the glycogen stored in your liver. Prolonged aerobic exercise, like marathon running, causes you to reach a point where those stores are depleted.

·         When that happens, you may not have enough glucose in your blood to properly fuel your brain. This can result in symptoms consistent with hypoglycemia, including fatigue, poor coordination, feeling dizzy, and problems with concentration.

3 Consume simple carbohydrates immediately following an intense workout. Your body has a two hour window immediately following exercise during which it more effectively restores your glycogen.

·         Simple carbohydrates include foods and beverages that are easily broken down by your body, such as fruits, milk, chocolate milk, and vegetables. Foods prepared with refined sugars are also sources of simple carbohydrates, such as cakes and candies, however these sources lack nutritional value.

·         Research suggests that consuming 50 grams of carbohydrates every two hours increases the rate of restoring the depleted glycogen stores. This method increased the rate of replacement from an average of 2% per hour, to 5% per hour.

4 Expect at least 20 hours to restore the glycogen. Consuming 50 grams of carbohydrates every two hours will take from 20 to 28 hours to completely restore the amount of glycogen depleted.

·         This factor is considered by athletes and their trainers in the days immediately prior to an endurance event.

5 Prepare for an endurance event. Athletes work to develop higher levels of endurance in order to compete in events like marathons, triathlons, cross country skiing, and distance swimming events. They also learn to manipulate their own glycogen stores to compete more effectively.

·         Hydration for an endurance event begins about 48 hours before the big day. Keep a container filled with water on you constantly for the days leading up to your endurance event. Drink as much as you can during those two days.

·         Begin your high-carbohydrate eating two days before the event. Try to select high-carbohydrate foods that also have nutritional value. Examples include whole grains, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and whole grain pasta.

·         Include fruits, vegetables, and lean protein in your meals. Avoid alcohol and processed foods.

6 Consider carbohydrate loading. Carbo loading methods are used by athletes that participate in endurance events, or events that last longer than 90 minutes. Carbo loading involves timing and selection of foods high in carbohydrate content to help expand the glycogen stores beyond their average levels.

·         Completely depleting the glycogen stores prior to the event, then loading with carbohydrates, works to expand the glycogen storage capacity even further. This allows the athlete to push harder and further, and hopefully improve his performance during the event.

·         The most traditional method for carbohydrate loading starts about a week before the event. Change your regular diet to include about 55% of your total calories as carbohydrates, with protein and fat added in as the remainder. This depletes your carbohydrate stores.

·         Three days prior to the event, adjust your carbohydrate intake to reach 70% of your daily calories. Decrease your intake of fat, and reduce your level of training.

·         Carbo loading methods are not reported to be helpful for events that are less than 90 minutes.

7 Eat a meal rich in carbohydrates just before an endurance event. By doing so, the body will work to quickly change the carbohydrates into usable energy, providing even greater energy benefit.

8 Drink sports drinks. Drinking sports beverages during an athletic event can help by providing a continued source of carbohydrates to your system, plus the added caffeine, available in some products, helps to improve endurance. Sports drinks contain sodium and potassium to maintain your electrolyte balance.

·         Recommendations for sports beverages consumed during long periods of exercise include products that have from 4% to 8% carbohydrate content, 20 to 30 mEq/L of sodium, and 2 to 5 mEq/L of potassium.