Every runner knows how important it is to eat carbohydrate-rich foods before a training run or race. In fact, for long races such as the marathon, “carbo-loading” the night before by eating carbohydrate-rich foods is an indispensable pre-race ritual. Foods such as pasta and different types of breads are an absolutely essential ingredient for the body to run fast.
Once eaten, carbohydrates break down into sugars, such as glucose. Some glucose is stored for later use by the muscles in the form of glycogen. Through a complex series of chemical reactions, the glucose and stored gycogen are converted into a molecule called ATP which, in turn, directly provides the energy for moving muscles. Therefore, without an adequate supply of carbohydrates, the body is unable to exercise efficiently.
However, a fascinating New York Times article suggests that a runner might not have to “eat” carbohydrates in order to receive an energy boost. Rather, simply swishing a carbohydrate solution in your mouth and spitting it out may be enough to improve performance.
“You can get an advantage from tricking your brain,” said a discoverer of the effect, Matt Bridge, a senior lecturer in coaching and sports science at the University of Birmingham in England. “Your brain tells your body, ‘Carbohydrates are on the way.’ ” And with that message, muscles and nerves are prompted to work harder and longer.
In other words, the brain is conditioned to recognize carbohydrates when they hit your mouth and it gives your body a mental boost of energy before the carbohydrates have even broken down into ATP. So what’s the point of all this? Well, that’s hard to say because runners really should drink carbohydrate rich drinks (i.e. Gatorade) before races and training runs in order to maximize energy.
However, if drinking fluids right before a hard run upsets your stomach, keep in mind that simply swishing a gulp of Gatorade might be all that you need.
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