Pre-competition nutrition: who cares?

New research suggests that the precise composition of a pre-competition meal may be rather less important than was previously thought

Over the past 30 years or so, a large volume of research has demonstrated that consuming carbohydrate while on the move (ie gels, carbohydrate drinks and bars etc) can significantly enhance performance over longer-duration (90+ minutes) events. The reason is simple: carbohydrate is the muscles’ premium fuel during exercise. Carbohydrate consumed during an event and also that stored in the muscles as glycogen (by consuming carbohydrate prior to an event) can be broken down to release energy rapidly. As such, carbohydrate is by far the most important fuel for muscle contraction when exercise intensity becomes very high.

Pre-competition carbohydrate matters

It’s for this same reason - to top up muscle glycogen and ensure athletes arrive at the start of a competition or match with muscles fully replenished with carbohydrate - that sports scientists also recommend that plenty of carbohydrate is consumed in the days leading up to a longer-duration event such as a distance ride, run, longer-distance triathlon or for other events lasting in excess of 60-90 minutes. This approach is commonly referred to as ‘carbohydrate loading’ (you can read more about the theory and practice of carbohydrate loading in this article).

As part of this strategy, athletes are also recommended to consume a high-carbohydrate meal in the 2-4 hours preceding competition as studies suggest that this enhances performance compared to no meal or a low-carbohydrate meal – especially when the meal in question is breakfast^(1,2). However, athletes are also recommended to ensure that the composition of any pre-competition meal is suitable for minimizing gut distress – ie limiting intakes of fiber, fat, and protein to avoid tummy pains, bloating or cramps during exercise. While seemingly logical, these food-choice recommendations nevertheless impose quite strict limits on what athletes can and cannot eat in a pre-competition meal, which is not ideal, especially if athletes are competing away from home and food choice is narrow. Furthermore, there’s actually scant data in the literature to support this approach. The good news however is that new research suggests that precise composition of a pre-competition meal may not actually be quite as important as originally believed.

Soccer and pre-competition meal composition

In a newly published study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology titled ‘Effects of high-carbohydrate versus mixed-macronutrient meals on female soccer physiology and performance’, US scientists evaluated the physiological and perceptual effects (how the players performed and how they felt) of two different types of pre-match meals on collegiate soccer players⁽³⁾. To carry out this study, 15 players participated in a randomized, investigator-blinded, crossover study involving two 1000kcal meals consumed four hours prior to two 70-minute informal games performed on two separate occasions. The meal timings and calories consumed on both occasions were identical; however, the meals themselves varied in their compositions:

• Mixed-macronutrient meal – this meal contained a mixture of carbohydrate, protein and fat, more representative of the kind of meals normally eaten during the day.
• High-carbohydrate meal – this meal consisted primarily of carbohydrate, with minimal amounts of protein and fat (a ‘pre-competition specific meal’).

During the informal games, the players were monitored for their performances by analyzing global positioning system tracking (distance covered, maximum and average speeds etc) and heart rate data. In addition, they were monitored for subjective feelings during both games, including perceived exertion (RPE), ratings of fatigue, gut symptoms, and perceptions of satiety, hunger, and fullness. The results from the two games (before which the players had consumed either the high-carbohydrate or mixed nutrient meal) were then compared.

What they found

The first finding was that (as you might expect), the players covered more distance on the pitch and engaged in more high-speed running during the second half of the matches than the first half. However, when the researchers compared the effect of the two different pre-game meals, they found absolutely no statistically significant differences for the distance covered or the amount of high-speed running. In addition, there was no difference in terms of the players’ gut symptoms, ratings of fatigue, perceived exertion, hunger, fullness or feelings of satiety.

Practical implications

In short, the researchers concluded that a mixed meal containing 1000kcals consumed four hours before competition was just as well tolerated as a 1000ckal high-carbohydrate, low-fat, low-protein and low-fiber meal, and moreover that the mixed meal did not compromise performance in any way. These findings are good news for athletes who want to ensure they are optimally fueled with a pre-competition meal and who would either prefer to consume a meal of their choice or would otherwise struggle to consume a specific high-carbohydrate meal.

However, a couple of caveats are in order here. Firstly, this is just one study with a relatively small number of soccer athletes, so we cannot be 100% sure that these findings are universally applicable across all athletes in all sports. Secondly, athletes should bear in mind that this study looked at a pre-competition meal consumed four hours prior to exercise. A mixed meal taken closer to exercise – say three or even two hours prior – may be less well tolerated, especially in athletes with more sensitive tummies. Thirdly and very importantly, this study looked at athletes who were well nourished and not glycogen depleted prior to exercise. Therefore, the findings are more likely to be applicable when glycogen stores have been well topped up in previous days. In conditions where athletes might start an event partially glycogen depleted (eg in a multi-day competition), a higher carbohydrate meal might produce superior results!

References

1. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2018 Oct 1;125(4):1021-1029.
2. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2018 May; 28(5):1476-1493
3. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021 Jan 23. doi: 10.1007/s00421-021-04597-5. Online ahead of print