By: Amy, Josh, Simon & Scott

1. Monosaccharides: -Are the simple one-unit sugars, that cannot be reduced to a simpler form. They include: Glucose (Eg. Lollies) Fructose (Comes from natural sugars Eg. fruit & honey) Galactose (Can only be found in breast milk) 2. Disaccharides: -Consist of two monosaccharides (or two units of sugar). They include: Sucrose (Composed of glucose plus fructose Eg. Brown sugar & maple syrup) Lactose (Composed of glucose plus galactose Eg. Milk) Maltose (Composed of glucose plus glucose Eg. Beer, cereals & germinated seeds) 3. Polysaccharides: Consist of three or more units of sugar, they are also known as your complex carbohydrates. There are two classifications of polysaccharides, plant and animal. -Plant Polysaccharides: There are two common forms of plant polysaccharides: -Starch (is found in seeds, corn and various grains from which bread, cereal, spaghetti & pastries are made from) -Fibre (is a bulking agent that is resistant to human digestive enzymes. Eg. it can be found in All Bran cereal) -Animal Polysaccharides: There is only one form of animal polysaccharide: - Glycogen (Created from glucose in the body, through a process known as glucogenesis. It is the storage carbohydrate and can be found stored in the muscles and liver) There are three different types of carbohydrates:

Major energy source primarily during high intensity. Presence regulates fat and protein metabolism Nervous system relies exclusively on CHO for energy. Muscle and liver glycogen are synthesised from CHO

The Glycaemic Index (GI) is the measurement of the blood glucose response to eating foods with carbohydrates. It is a rating given to foods depending on how quickly or slowly they are digested and absorbed into the blood as glucose. Average Glycaemic Index (GI) Ratings High GI = A Glycaemic index greater than 70 (Eg. Cornflakes, jellybeans, wholemeal bread, sports drinks, watermelon) Medium GI = A Glycaemic index between 55 – 70 (Eg. Lifesavers, Fanta soft drink, one minute oats, gnocchi, pineapple, rockmelon, nutrigrain) Low GI = A Glycaemic index less than 55 (Eg. Multigrain bread, Coca-Cola, banana, Milk chocolate, chick peas, lentils, peanut M&M’s)

Both Hyperglycaemia and Hypoglycaemia are reactions caused by either an increase or decrease in blood glucose levels. Hypoglycaemia is when the blood glucose levels in the body are low. (Note: Hypo = Low) Hyperglycaemia is when the blood glucose levels in the body are high. (Note: Hyper = High Eg. Like when you give a little kid a glass of red soft drink and they become hyperactive) The best way to avoiding either Hyper or Hypoglycaemia is to eat regularly and eat low GI foods. It is important in sport to avoid both Hyper and Hypoglycaemia as it can have a significant impact on your performance.

 It is important in sport to avoid both Hyper and Hypoglycaemia as it can have a significant impact on your performance.  Having high levels of blood glucose in the body results in Hyperglycaemia, which gives you a lot of energy but for only a short period of time. After the body has reached its highest point of blood glucose, insulin takes over rapidly decreasing the blood glucose levels leaving the athlete with less energy than what the started with (hypoglycaemia).

Rebound Hypoglycaemia occurs when you ingest high GI carbohydrates within 15 to 45 minutes prior to exercise. Your blood glucose levels rise, causing Hyperglycaemia, the body counteracts this by secreting insulin. In response to insulin, glucose uptake reaches an abnormally high rate, leading to hypoglycaemia and early fatigue. This quick drop from Hyperglycaemia to Hypoglycaemia is called rebound Hypoglycaemia.

Blood glucose loading is consuming CHO right before an event and during an event. Blood glucose loading puts glycogen straight into the liver, which then converts through a process called catecholamine, into the blood supply. The benefits is more glycogen in the blood supply, allowing muscle glycogen stores to remain stable. Without blood glycogen, the muscle glycogen stores will be depleted. Blood glucose loading if not monitored can lead to hyperglycaemia.

Consume a high carbohydrate diet leading up to competition. Training should be tapered down and carbohydrate consumption should continue high or increase. A high carbohydrate diet is always good for athletes. Preparation for Competition with CHO loading: Taper exercise 6 days prior to event and consume a 50% CHO diet. 3 days prior to event, low intensity exercise with 80% CHO diet. On the day eat high CHO diet around 3 to 4 hours before exercise. The informal CHO loading is a big bowl of pasta 1 to 4 hours before game.

BooksBooks Whitney, E. & Rady Rolfes, S. (2008). Understanding Nutrition, 11 th Ed. Thomson Wadsworth, Belmont, USA. McArdle, W.D., Katch, F.I., & Katch, V.L. (1996). Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance, 4 th Ed. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore. Wilmore, J.H. & Costill, D.L. (2006). Physiology of Sport and Exercise, 4 th Ed. Human Kinetics, Champion, Ill. NHS DIRECT. Retrieved 4th, August URL.