sugar

By Art Zemach, M.D.

Simple Carbs & Exercise

“Is sugar (a simple carbohydrate) good or bad for athletes?” For me, this is a “fire shark” question. When my kids were little, they would ask me “Dad, would you rather be burned by fire, or eaten by sharks?” The truth is I would like to live. A “fire shark” question is framed in such a way as to obscure the truth. The truth is: sugar is a powerful fuel during exercise, and terrible for you when you’re resting on the couch.

The Difference Between Exercise & Rest

All carbohydrates, from kale to candy, are converted into simple sugars before they’re used by your muscles. If that process happens quickly, they’re good exercise fuels. If it happens slowly, they’re healthy dinner foods. Carbohydrates can be one or the other, but it’s difficult for them to be both.

When you’re exercising, your muscles can take in energy easily, making simple sugars (dextrose & sucrose) the best fuel choice because they act quickly. They don’t ask your digestive system to do a lot of work when your body is under stress, and therefore they don’t bother your gut or make your stomach hurt.

When you’re not exercising, your muscles need insulin’s help to take in energy. During periods of inactivity, complex carbohydrates, like broccoli or kale, are the best fuel choice. Simple sugars at rest will take your hormones and blood sugar on a roller coaster ride that is hard on your body in a number of ways. When you’re sitting on the couch, candy and sugary drinks will increase your risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Get the Timing Right!

When you’re exercising or racing, it’s important to give your body time to make a definitive transition between rest physiology and exercise physiology.

Give your body 20-30 minutes for muscles to utilize glucose without the assistance of insulin and for exercise hormones to suppress insulin secretion before you begin drinking your sports drink. In other words, wait about 30 minutes before consuming Endurance Fuel during exercise.

Sip your drink slowly and spread your carbohydrate intake over each hour. Don’t down an hour’s worth of sport drink all at once.

What About Recovery?

The first 30-60 minutes after exercise is often called the “golden hour,” when your body is especially efficient at replenishing depleted energy stores.

In addition to during exercise, the golden hour is another time when simple sugars work well, and don’t cause blood sugar spikes and crashes. Replenishing your glycogen stores efficiently will help make you feel better quicker after your workout, and you’ll be ready for your next workout sooner.

Tailwind Recovery Mix is packed with the simple sugars your body needs to replenish glycogen stores during the 30-60 minute golden hour.

The Take-Home Message

Exercise and rest are different. Simple sugars are great exercise fuels, but they’re bad for you when you’re sitting on the couch. Broccoli is great for dinner, but it’s not a great racing fuel.

See you on the trails!

126 comments

Wow! Great article! Thank you for the the information and how to use Endurance fuel during exercise! I have never known to wait 20-30 during exercise to drink Endurance hydration and sip slowly after that during the run! I love Tailwind due to no artificial ingredients . I could not take products that contain sucralose , artificial sugar substitute which taste awful and are bad for our health!
Thank you Tailwind! Orange Mandarin flavor is always my favorite!

Betty Pann Berger

Great products and great information. Thanks for the post.

Edwin H

I use tailwind on my long runs. It keeps me fueled with no GI issues. Great taste too.

Anita

Love the unflavored Tailwind. It allows me to add other mixes to achieve a more varied flavors.

Greg Caldwell

Caffeinated Cola ftw…

Dennis Spada

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