Glucose: Your Body’s Energy Source
Glucose is simply blood sugar, and eating carbohydrate-rich foods prior to working out will initially raise your blood sugar. To counteract this flood of glucose, the body releases insulin, which is produced in the pancreas and insulin then moves the glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells. When glucose arrives in the cells, it is used immediately for energy.
In some cases, the glucose arriving in the body’s cells are stored for later use. This is particularly true of the liver and muscle cells. In these cells, excess glucose is stored as glycogen for later use. As discussed previously in regard to the best pre-workout meals, eating carbohydrates before exercising is a great way to prepare for a bout of exercise.
Glucose and Glycogen
When you eat a medium to high GI rich food prior to working out, your glucose levels will be affected. The high amounts of insulin released to handle the carbohydrates you just ate will cause blood sugar levels and energy to drop. This condition is temporary, however. Within 15 minutes of beginning an exercise program, the body has effectively processed the bulk of the the carbohydrates and glucose levels return to normal levels while insulin levels fall off.
To avoid the ups and downs of eating carbohydrates directly before exercising, plan to give your body time to properly digest and normalize the food you’ve eaten. Consuming high GI foods within an hour of a competition or intense workout can lower glucose levels and energy as well. Giving your body a bit more than an hour to properly digest foods you eat before a workout will result in a more even distribution of glucose and result in more stable energy supplies.
Glucose and Exercise
Your best option to normalize glucose levels is to eat a low to medium GI food a bit more than an hour before working out. This tops off supplies of glucose and glycogen giving your body the maximum amount of burn time while exercising. Carbohydrates before exercising are likely exactly what you need to perform at your best.
Copyright 2010 Life Health Secrets
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