Increased carbohydrate availability effects energy and nutrient periodisation of professional male athletes from the Australian Football League

Abstract

This research aims to explore the effect of increased carbohydrate availability intervention on energy intake and distribution in professional Australian Football athletes. Six 24-h energy and macronutrient intakes were quantified (n= 19 males; age 24 ±4 y, stature 187 ±8 cm, mass 87 ±9 kg) using photographic food diaries and Foodworks analyses. Energy expenditure was estimated for the same period using GeneActiv accelerometers. During three control days, athletes had ad libitum access to food, while the three intervention days increased carbohydrate availability, through greater prompting and access to carbohydrate foods. Daily energy intake was higher during intervention (185 ±40 kJ/kg/d) compared with control (172 ±31 kJ/kg/d; p<0.05) but remained below estimated expenditure, and carbohydrate intake was also greater with intervention (5.0 ±0.2 g/kg/d) than control (4.0 ±0.2 g/kg/d; p<0.05). Expenditure was highest during the morning which coincided with lowest intake on all days, while the intervention was associated with greater carbohydrate intake in the morning (0.6 g/kg, p< 0.05) compared with control. Increasing availability of carbohydrate during high-load training generated a modest increase in carbohydrate and energy intake, and the intervention was most effective in improving carbohydrate intake during mornings. 
 Novelty Bullets
 • Increased access and provision of carbohydrate foods increased carbohydrate consumption and energy intake on high training load days.
 • Daily distribution of energy intake can be modified through actively promoting carbohydrate consumption.

Comparison of Australian Football League Women's athletes match day energy and nutrient intake to recommendations

“…Since the AFLW competition is still in its infancy, it is likely that increases in match volume will be evident as the physical capabilities of players improve over future seasons, 2,5 emphasising the need to continue monitoring athletes training and match volumes and respective dietary intakes. Only a handful of studies have assessed distance covered, or other forms of training or match volume, alongside dietary intake of Australian football athletes 9,17,21 . One study reported that athletes adjusted their carbohydrate intake in accordance with physical load (total distance, average speed, and distance covered within four specific velocity bands) on match days, 17 whereas the others showed inability to match intake with training demands, 9,21 consistent with studies conducted in other team sports 23,32 …”

“…Only a handful of studies have assessed distance covered, or other forms of training or match volume, alongside dietary intake of Australian football athletes 9,17,21 . One study reported that athletes adjusted their carbohydrate intake in accordance with physical load (total distance, average speed, and distance covered within four specific velocity bands) on match days, 17 whereas the others showed inability to match intake with training demands, 9,21 consistent with studies conducted in other team sports 23,32 …”

“…7 For example, team sport athletes, such as Australian football athletes, predominantly use carbohydrate as their major fuel source to sustain highintensity efforts over long durations. 8,9 Prior studies have shown improvements in athletic performance with increased carbohydrate intakes in cyclists, 10,11 endurance runners, 12 and other intermittent/team sport athletes, such as soccer, rugby, and field-hockey players. 8,13,14 Given the importance of energy and carbohydrate for athletic performance, it is crucial to establish whether AFLW athletes meet nutrient requirements on match days.…”

“…As for all sports, nutrition plays an important role in health and performance as it helps athletes meet their energy demands, whilst supporting growth and recovery 7 . For example, team sport athletes, such as Australian football athletes, predominantly use carbohydrate as their major fuel source to sustain high‐intensity efforts over long durations 8,9 . Prior studies have shown improvements in athletic performance with increased carbohydrate intakes in cyclists, 10,11 endurance runners, 12 and other intermittent/team sport athletes, such as soccer, rugby, and field‐hockey players 8,13,14 .…”

Analyzing the bibliometric progress of sustainable monitoring and analysis of sports training loads

“…The goal of studying athletes' energy expenditure is to gain insight into the relationship between the amount of energy used during various activities and the subsequent effects on performance and recuperation. Wearable devices or metabolic carts are two examples of innovative methods for measuring energy expenditure that could be explored in the future, together with studies examining the effects of varying training loads on energy expenditure in different populations, such as elite athletes, recreational athletes, and special populations [39,40].…”