Episode 11 : The Carb-Loading Blueprint: Never Hit The Wall Again ⛽

Episode 11 : The Carb-Loading Blueprint: Never Hit The Wall Again ⛽💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: [email protected] ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work:⁠ https://ko-fi.com/lactate⁠⁠⁠⁠Summary: Stop fearing "the wall"—transform your race by turning endurance sport into a strategic eating contest. For events over 90 minutes, a meticulous carb-loading strategy is scientifically proven to improve performance by 2-3%. This episode dismantles the metabolic crisis of "bonking"—the catastrophic performance drop when muscle glycogen (your high-octane fuel) runs out, forcing a reliance on slower fat oxidation. We explain the biology of "supercompensation": how depleting glycogen in training upregulates the enzyme glycogen synthase and enhances insulin sensitivity, turning your muscles into sponges ready to store 1.5-2x their normal fuel load. The modern protocol is clear: 36-48 hours pre-race, combine a taper with 10-12 g/kg/day of low-fiber carbs; top off liver glycogen with 1-4 g/kg 1-4 hours before the start; and during the race (>2.5h), target 60-90 g/hr using dual-source (glucose-fructose) blends to maximize absorption via separate intestinal transporters (SGLT1/GLUT5). We also debunk the myth that female athletes respond differently—they store glycogen equally effectively, provided total energy and absolute g/kg intake are sufficient. This is the strategy of elites like Eliud Kipchoge and Tadej Pogačar, who push intake limits to 100-120 g/hr.Keywords: carb-loading, glycogen, supercompensation, bonking, hitting the wall, endurance, marathon, cycling, glucose, fructose🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance.Key references : Burke, L. M., Hawley, J. A., Wong, S. H., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2011). Carbohydrates for training and competition. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(sup1), S17-S27. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2011.585473Hawley, J. A., & Leckey, J. J. (2015). Carbohydrate dependence during prolonged, intense exercise: a tale of two fuels. Journal of Applied Physiology, 119(2), 107-115. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00548.2014Jensen, R., Ørtenblad, N., Holmberg, H. C., & Christensen, P. M. (2025). Muscle glycogen supercompensation after cycling and running: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Physiology.Pöchmüller, M., Schwingshackl, L., Colombani, P. C., & Hoffmann, G. (2016). A systematic review and meta-analysis of carbohydrate benefits associated with randomized controlled competition-based performance trials. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13, 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-016-0139-6Tarnopolsky, M. A. (2001). Gender differences in substrate metabolism during endurance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 91(1), 225-234. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2001.91.1.225Thomas, D. T., Erdman, K. A., & Burke, L. M. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(3), 501-528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.12.006Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.