Final answer:
True, 'carb-loading' is a proven strategy where athletes increase carbohydrate intake before an event to maximize muscle glycogen storage, providing a critical energy reserve for endurance sports.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nutritional Strategies for Athletes
Athletes need to experiment with different pre, during, and post carbohydrate intake protocols in the days leading up to exercise so they can fuel optimally for their competition. True, carbohydrate loading, or 'carb-loading', is a strategy widely used by endurance athletes to maximize the storage of glycogen in muscles. By increasing glycogen stores, athletes have a readily available energy reserve during prolonged physical activity, such as a marathon, to maintain high performance levels.
Before an event, coaches often recommend a large pasta dinner which is rich in carbohydrates. This helps ensure that the muscles are saturated with glycogen, which is an essential fuel for endurance sports. On the day of the competition, simple sugars are consumed a few hours before to maintain blood glucose levels and avoid digestive discomfort that heavier foods might cause during the exercise.
Eating pasta right before the competition could lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, whereas a candy bar the night before would not provide the sustained energy necessary for competition as the digestion and utilization rate of simple sugars is much faster than complex carbohydrates. It is critical for athletes to tune their nutritional needs according to the intensity of the exercise and their specific energy requirements.