Carbohydrates and protein are essential nutrients that the body needs to attain optimum performance, especially in training for athletic competition or sports. Four calories per gram of carb or protein already provide the required energy to drive the muscles to work.
Also, these major nutrients help the mind focus and achieve performance goals by regulating insulin and other hormones to improve performance levels. However, too much amount of carbohydrates or protein can also dull your performance. So, it’s important to keep your carbohydrate and protein nutrient levels in check.
Is a low carb high protein diet suitable for every athlete? Can this diet affect your athletic performance? Learn how low carbohydrates and high protein diet can affect your performance.
Promote Muscle Growth and Development
Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are chemical ‘building blocks’ that will help in tissue and bone repair. Amino acids link together to make new proteins, hormones, and enzymes required for metabolism.
Protein is also a major nutrient that’s essential for tissue repair and muscle growth. Protein supports muscle growth and development so you can be at your best during training or competition. During muscle recovery, the muscle tissue needs the right amount of protein to easily bring it back to its normal functioning. Hence, with strength training and a high protein diet, the muscle changes to become stronger and fuller.
Here are the general types of foods that contain different amounts of proteins or essential amino acids:
· Animal Products: It includes beef, fish, chicken, and dairy products. Animal products are ‘complete’ sources of high-quality protein.
· Plant Proteins: Some examples of protein-rich plant-based proteins include beans, whole grains, lentils, and nuts, which are ‘incomplete’ proteins. One good example of plant-based food is immi, which is low in carbohydrates and high in protein.
· Other Sources: Soy products and quinoa also have essential amino acids.
High protein levels (200 to 400 grams per day), which is above the Australian Dietary Guidelines may lead to liver and kidney damage. If you want to benefit from a high protein diet, keep it below 200 grams daily.
Low Carb Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Energy is required in athletic performance. When an individual eats, the pancreas releases insulin to help store and convert glucose into energy, which is required by the cells of the tissues, organs, and muscles.
Insulin controls blood glucose or sugar levels, which is produced by the pancreas. Insulin moves glucose from the blood into the cells for storage. When insulin becomes resistant, this normal function is impaired, leaving more glucose in the blood, causing high levels of blood sugar as evidenced in the blood glucose test.
High blood sugar levels will lead to the production of more insulin by the pancreas in an attempt to lower blood glucose and overcome resistance. Over time, the pancreas loses its ability to produce insulin, resulting in type 2 diabetes. High levels of sugar in the blood may also damage other organs, like the kidneys, eyes, and nerves as the blood becomes too thick, increasing its pressure to flow in the blood vessels.
With a low carbohydrate diet, insulin resistance is prevented. Instead, insulin becomes more sensitive. This is because the presence of high carbohydrates in the blood triggers more production of insulin by the pancreas. Carbohydrates will end up as sugar lingering in the blood, thereby insulin is needed to keep it balanced.
Check out these ways to help regulate your blood insulin levels through a low carb diet:
· Spread your carbohydrate consumption evenly throughout the day.
· To provide the body with less sugar and makes the job on insulin a lot easier, eat smaller portions of carbohydrates regularly throughout the day.
· Eat regularly to promote insulin sensitivity. If you're too busy and can't cook and prepare food, try easy-to-prepare but still nutritious foods.
Too Low Carb May Affect Performance
Athletes still need high-quality carbohydrates to use as energy, most especially during high-intensity exercises. A study showed that consuming high-quality carbohydrate sources like rice, pasta, and potatoes provide enough carbohydrates to satisfy the body's energy demands.
Here are the findings of the said study:
· A moderate exerciser would need 5 to 7 grams per kilogram of carbohydrates per day, while heavy exercises would need 8 to 12 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram daily.
· High-carbohydrate foods tend to be quickly absorbed, providing the muscles with enough energy they need during exercise, which helps maintain and maximize performance.
· A low carb and high protein diet are suitable during muscle recovery or when the athlete is at rest since the tissues need protein for repair.
· To avoid dehydration and sustain performance intensity levels, adequate carbohydrates stores are required during training or competition.
High Protein Decrease Muscle Soreness After Exercise
Iowa State University conducted a study showing that protein supplements significantly decreased muscle soreness. Protein supplementation has a significant effect on post-exercise muscle recovery, which helps prevent muscle damage.
The research also shows that when balanced quantities of total protein are consumed, such as milk proteins (including casein and whey protein), they’re more effective in stimulating protein turnover of skeletal muscles after resistance-exercise than soy protein.
Low Carb High Protein Diet for Endurance Athletes
According to Dr. Clifton Page of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, endurance athletes could benefit from ketogenic diets after an adaptation period. In endurance sports, such as weightlifting, wrestling, swimming, and cycling, endurance is tested, which is the ability of the muscles to exert less effort over a prolonged period.
Ketogenic diets can help endurance athletes improve the performance of endurance athletes. This is because ketosis helps improve cognitive and physical performance, metabolic health, and manage obesity.
Take note, however, that for short duration and high-intensity sports, a ketogenic diet may drop performance because they need carbohydrates for a sudden spike of energy demands.
Conclusion
Low carbohydrates and high protein diet, like a ketogenic diet, can help improve performance when taken at the right time. Carbohydrates are still the major source to rapidly absorb energy allowing you to sustain optimum performance levels. During muscle recovery and days of low-intensity training, low carb and high protein can be beneficial in tissue recovery, promoting insulin sensitivity, and avoiding weight gain.
A low carb high protein diet is highly beneficial for endurance athletes. However, for short duration and high-intensity sports athletes, they would require enough carbohydrates to perform at their best. A well-formulated diet for every athlete depends on body requirements, energy demands, and type of sports.
