Final answer:
Athletes cannot load fat in the same way as they can with carbohydrates. Carb loading increases glycogen stores for ready energy, while fats are slower to convert and no short-term fat loading mechanism exists like that of carbohydrates.
Step-by-step explanation:
Can athletes load fat like they load carbohydrates (CHO)? The answer is no; the processes are quite different. While many distance runners engage in carb loading before a big race to increase their glycogen stores, which provides them with a ready supply of energy, there is no equivalent process for fat-loading before an endurance event.
During carb loading, the excess carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. This glycogen is then readily accessible during physical activity, delaying the onset of fatigue and improving endurance performance. Unlike carbohydrates, which can be quickly converted to energy, fat is a slower-burning fuel that the body uses once glycogen stores have been depleted.
Although fats have a higher calorie density and are important in the overall diet of an athlete, especially in ultra-endurance sports, the body does not store extra fat in response to a short-term increase in fat intake like it does with carbohydrates during carb loading.