A primary area of sports nutrition - and daily is fuelling for the work required. To support function, health and performance, whether cognitive, technical or physical performance.
The above image is of a study examining the impact of low-carb vs high-carb on the same players during two football matches.
It’s well-known that many athletes under fuel, and from a performance perspective (football nutrition in this case), without listing health considerations, it can cause:
Reductions in total distance covered in a game
Reductions in distance covered in all speed brackets - walking to sprinting.
Reductions in technical skill.
Increases in perceived exertion (how tough a task feels)
Increase in physiological stress for the same work.
This study - the important bits:
Two teams played each other twice (one week between games)
20 players included (all players except goalkeepers)
Blue bar - high carb game
Orange bar - low carb game
Match 1
3.5 days before the first match:
Team A follows high carb (8g CHO per kg body mass a day)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Team B follows low carb (3 g CHO per kg body nass a day)
Match 2 (one week later)
The dietary protocols were then reversed so both teams have played a game where the players were high-carb and low-carb.
Findings
Every player covered a greater total distance using a high-carb diet. Compared with the distance covered in a low-carb diet (HC: 9,380 6 98 m vs. LC: 8,077 6 109 m; p , 0.01).
All distances covered, from easy jogging to sprinting, were also higher in High carb status compared with low carb (p , 0.01).
What does this particular study mean
Adequate fuelling for football players the days leading up to a football match will enhance the total distance covered and distance covered in each speed bracket.
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PMID: 23168373