Energy replacement is an important tool for any athlete involved in physical activity exceeding 60 minutes. How important is energy replacement to match performance?
Your body relies heavily on carbohydrates for energy during prolonged, intense exercise such as rugby. Key nutrients include carbohydrates and water, which are important for optimising performance during endurance activity. Competing in events greater than 60 minutes can quickly deplete your energy reserves, leaving your muscles fatigued and in need of carbohydrate replacements.
Muscles can’t produce energy without these important fuels, and these need to be supplied by the diet to achieve high-calibre performance. It is well known that carbohydrate consumption before, during and after exercise can help improve an athlete’s performance. Carbohydrates help maintain the body’s stores of glycogen in muscles and the liver and during exercise increase the availability of glucose for use by the muscles.
Consuming carbohydrates prior to and during activity will improve glycogen balance, because carbohydrate reserves of the body are relatively limited. This increase in carbohydrate availability will improve your muscle energy and performance late in the game.
Maintaining sufficient fluid intake will help to counteract the debilitating effects of exercise and dehydration and help to reduce muscle cramps. Dehydration reduces blood volume, oxygen-blood delivery to the muscles, and impairs overall muscular energy production.
Nutra-Life Energy Squeeze Packs provide 25g of complex carbohydrates to help ensure a rapid supply of carbohydrate-sustained energy, when you need it. This rapidly absorbed formula combines complex carbohydrates from maize starch maltodextrins to help replace energy and replenish liver/muscle glycogen stores. These easy to use, tear-sachets can be taken with water to maintain hydration before, during and after the game.
Everyone wants to enjoy and perform at their best, no matter what level you play. Carbohydrate replacement helps to fuel, promote high performance and replenish energy stores for faster recovery. The right fuel, taken at the right time, helps to ensure a winning performance.
SMC150903/B DA3317