Sports nutrition
Glucose from the bloodstream is a source of energy for muscles during prolonged or intense exercise. The body uses it when its own glycogen stores are insufficient or when we consume carbohydrates during exercise. In this article, you will learn how glucose enters the blood, when the body uses it most, and why its availability is crucial for maintaining pace.
Phosphocreatine is a storage form of energy that the body uses during explosive exercise lasting only a few seconds. It allows for immediate muscular performance without waiting for other energy systems to be activated. This article explains what phosphocreatine does, how long it lasts, and why it determines performance during sprints, jumps, or power sets.
The body has two main sources of energy – carbohydrates and fats. While carbohydrates are dominant during intense exercise, fats play a crucial role during lower intensity and long-term performance. How does the body use fats during exercise, where does it get them from and what influences their burning?
Muscle glycogen is a crucial energy source during moderate to high intensity exercise. Its availability influences the ability to sustain performance, and its depletion is one of the best-described causes of muscle fatigue. It is therefore one of the main performance-limiting factors for endurance athletes.
At low intensity, the body burns fat, and at higher intensity, it reaches for sugar. We hear this a lot – but how does it really work? Is it really either fat or sugar? And can you influence what your body prefers during a race or training session? In this article, we’ll explain how your body chooses fuel , why it matters, and what you can do about it.
Every movement in the body – from the blink of an eye to a marathon – has one thing in common: it requires energy from a molecule called ATP. But the stores of ATP in muscles are surprisingly small. So the body has to find a way to replenish it quickly, otherwise fatigue sets in. Read on to find out how it all works – and why ATP is crucial to your performance.
Every movement – be it a sprint, a run up a hill or a marathon – costs the body a certain amount of energy. In order to run, jump or pedal, our muscles must constantly replenish their stores of ATP – the universal “fuel” for muscle work. But ATP itself does not last long in the muscles. That is why the body uses three different systems to replenish it – each of which is involved at a different pace, duration and intensity. How does it all work? And why should every athlete know where the body actually gets its energy from?
