The Benefits of Carbs For The Active Person

As an active person, you probably have mixed feelings toward carbs. 

On the one hand, you’re aware of the low-carb and keto movement. Folks recommend we avoid carbs to feel good, stay mentally sharp, keep disease at bay, and burn fat effortlessly.

But, on the other hand, we know that carbs are fuel for the body. So, the question is, “How can we hope to function optimally without fuel?” The answer is, we can’t. At least, not as well as we otherwise could.

To that end, we’ve put this piece together. Below, we’ll go over carbs, what they are, and why - as an active person - you need to get enough of them.

What Are ‘Carbs,’ Anyway?

Carbs, short for carbohydrates, are organic structures made of sugar molecules. When ingested, the body breaks carbs down into their simple form - glucose.

 
Some of the glucose travels to the liver, where a part of it gets converted to glycogen - the complex carb form which we store inside the liver and muscle for later use. The remaining carbs get back into the bloodstream, where they provide fuel for the brain, maintain blood sugar levels, and give us the energy to move around and go about our lives.

Each gram of carbs offers four calories of energy. For example, if you consume 10 grams of carbs, you would essentially get 40 calories.

The Role of Carbs In The Body

To understand carbs’ role in the body, we mostly have to look at glycogen and glucose. 

As we discussed above, glycogen is the complex carb form that we store for later use. We need to have adequate amounts of it because our muscles preferentially use it as a source of energy. If you do anything more demanding than a simple walk in the park, your muscles will use glycogen to fuel themselves.

Having adequate glycogen levels is also essential for muscle protein synthesis. Some research suggests that glycogen depletion hinders protein synthesis and, in turn, muscle gain and recovery.

Unlike glycogen, we don’t store glucose for later use. Instead, the body uses it as an immediate source of energy for internal processes, brain function, and physical activity. For instance, nerve cells are incredibly energy-demanding, so having adequate glucose in our system is essential for normal brain function, cell signaling, and muscle contractions.

The Practical Benefits of Eating Enough Carbs Every Day

Okay, carbs seem great. But what are the practical benefits of eating enough?

First, we get to train harder and longer. We can do more repetitions, sets, and exercises before feeling exhausted. Adequate carb levels in the body provide enough energy for our muscles and nervous system to work optimally.

Second, we recover better between sets inside each workout - circuit rounds, HIIT sets, and weight training sets. This is because more glucose allows for more efficient regeneration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules. ATP is the primary energy currency for our bodily cells. In turn, this regeneration helps us recover more quickly.

Third, we recover better between workouts. For one, more carbs allow for quicker glycogen replenishment. In turn, this stimulates muscle protein synthesis, which results in speedier tissue healing. Together, these mechanisms mean we can train more frequently and feel better in-between sessions.