Nutrition during sports, especially in endurance sports, is one of the factors that most influence performance. During competitions, Professionals consume well over 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour, managing to maintain constant energy levels, even after hours of high-intensity effort (Enervit image at the top). However, there is one aspect that is often overlooked: the intestine needs to be trained as much as the muscles.
Those who are not used to eating during training cannot expect to suddenly introduce large amounts of carbohydrates and be able to absorb them without consequences. Often, Without adequate preparation, you may experience unpleasant gastrointestinal problems.Professionals follow a careful periodization of training and supplies to train your intestines to absorb large amounts of carbohydrates during the race.
Excess carbohydrates
In recent years we often hear about the so-called “Gut training”, literally the training of the intestine, which serves precisely to improve our intestine's ability to tolerate and absorb large amounts of carbohydrates during physical activity. When you're not used to refueling on your bike, Generally, you can tolerate just over 30 grams of carbohydrates per hourBy significantly increasing the intake of gels and bars, gastrointestinal disorders become almost inevitable. In these cases, in fact, carbohydrates are not completely absorbed and remain in the intestinal lumen for a long time.
To aid in the digestion of the supply, Water and blood are drawn into the intestines, increasing the risk of cramps, bloating, intestinal urgency and muscle fatigueOften, you feel like you haven't digested your food, you feel heavy, you have difficulty changing pace, and you feel less alert. In general, this leads to a decline in performance.
Practice eating
Precisely for this reason Planning gut training is essentialA gradual and consistent approach is necessary. It's not just about the amount consumed, but how much our body can handle at that moment. For a professional athlete, in particularly demanding competitions, this can reach up to 120-140 grams of carbohydrates per hour. However, These values must always be related to the intensity of the exercise, the duration and, above all, the individual tolerance..
For those starting from scratch, the goal should not be to reach these numbers immediately, but build up a good absorption capacity over timeA first step could be to consume about 30 grams of carbohydrates per hour, for example through a maltodextrin-based drink in a water bottle. The intestines will begin to learn to work during exercise.
After one or two weeks, you can gradually increase your intake by adding a liquid or solid carbohydrate source, until you reach 45-60 grams per hour. This range already represents an excellent achievement for many amateur athletes and it also corresponds to the limit of grams of glucose that our body can absorb in an hour.
To further increase the amount of fuel and ensure constant energy in training sessions lasting more than three hours, it is essential to rely on technical products formulated with a ratio of 2:1 or 1:0,8 between glucose and fructose.
Gut training during the week
An interesting aspect of gut training, which has also emerged in the practices of professionals, is its management within the training week. In low-intensity sessions, such as those in zone 2, you can maintain a more moderate intake, around 40-50 grams of carbohydrates per hour. On the contrary, on days when more intense work is planned, carbohydrate intake is increased, precisely to continue training the intestinal capacity.
After having adapted well to the supply of about 60 grams per hour, good programming It could therefore be expected that when training becomes more demanding, for example during long rides with altitude differences or group sessions where the intensity exceeds the usual one, one will experience higher intakes, up to about 90-100 grams of carbohydrates per hour, even if only for a few hours. This alternating approach allows you to maintain the adaptation process without constantly overloading the digestive system.
A subjective threshold
It is important to remember, however, that Adaptation times are individual: Forcing the carbohydrate increase too quickly can lead to a worsening of symptoms and a negative experience during trainingFurthermore, the maximum tolerance threshold is subjective and not every cyclist must aim to reach such high quantities to perform at their best.
Learning to nourish yourself during physical activity is a process that requires time, listening and gradualnessKnowing how many carbohydrates to consume is not enough: it is essential to build, workout after workout, your body's ability to utilize them. Only in this way fueling can become a true ally of performance, and not an obstacle to manageThe advice is to integrate carbohydrates regularly, even on shorter or less demanding rides, so that each time you build a little more tolerance.
Finally, let's not forget that fuel is only part of successI can fill up my scooter with the best gasoline, but it will never go fast with a racing bike.
