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Jafar
Water Boy
Joined: 22 Aug 2002
Posts: 38
Location: SLC, UT
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 Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2002 9:10 pm Post subject: Carbonation. What's the final word? |
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| How detrimental to running/cardio performance is the consumption of carbonated drinks? I've heard it's not good but never quite understood the mechanism behind it. How much is bad? Would a single 12 once soda a day really hurt one's cardio performance? |
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Dan
Chief Pontificator
Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR
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| Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2002 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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It can't help ... need you know more?
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Paul
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 28 Apr 2002
Posts: 1610
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2002 8:07 am Post subject: |
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I don't feel that soft drinks are going to hurt performance at all. There is solid evidence that bicarbonates will buffer lactate to some extent. I wouldn't be quaffing down a twelve ouncer just before heading out the door, though. Too much carbonation might upset your stomach. But then, one shouldn't be drinking more than 4-6 oz of fluid at a time just before and during long runs, anyway.
Most soft drinks these days have fructose based corn syrup as their main sugar, which is much slower burning than sucrose if you are concerned about its glycemic index and the effect on insulin production. So unless you are diabetic, soft drinks are not going to be a problem. Certainly not worse than Gatorade which seems to be everyone's favorite post exercise beverage, and has a high glycemic index.
I know this is more information than was anticipated on this post, ...but an outstanding book on the whole subject of carbohydrates and athletic activity would be The Glucose Revolution by Brand-Miller, Wolever, Colagiuri, Foster-Powell. I've read The Zone and this book, and The Glucose Revolution has better and more complete information. In fact, I think every coach should have this basic knowledge.
Paul |
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Dan
Chief Pontificator
Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2002 8:25 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | There is solid evidence that bicarbonates will buffer lactate to some extent. |
Is that the same as carbonation, though? I thought it was sodium bicarbonate that is believed to help buffer lactic acid, and I was under the impression that was completely separate from carbonation...
I've also seen hintings of that only being a lab-based study that hasn't really played out in practice. I'm not sure if that's true or not, though.
I remember seeing a local college guy on hands and knees, foaming/frothing at the mouth after a race from overdoing the sodium bicarbonate... 
Dan |
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Paul
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 28 Apr 2002
Posts: 1610
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2002 9:57 am Post subject: |
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Probably both sodium and potassium bicarbonates. Since sodium is not listed as ingredient in Coke, but it contains sodium, I am making the assumption that the carbonated water used in the product could be a form of sodium bicarbonate. I could very well be wrong on this point, though.
Even though I seem to be overstating the carbonated drink issue, the bottom line for me is if my running was not going in the direction I was hoping, I would be looking at a lot of issues training-wise and nutrition-wise before deciding that cutting out one soda a day was going to be the key.
Paul |
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Jafar
Water Boy
Joined: 22 Aug 2002
Posts: 38
Location: SLC, UT
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2002 10:10 am Post subject: |
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| pnb470 wrote: | | Most soft drinks these days have fructose based corn syrup as their main sugar, which is much slower burning than sucrose if you are concerned about its glycemic index and the effect on insulin production. So unless you are diabetic, soft drinks are not going to be a problem. Certainly not worse than Gatorade which seems to be everyone's favorite post exercise beverage, and has a high glycemic index. |
This is very interesting. I didn't realize that was the case. However keep in mind that glycemic index isn't the only concern as far as simple carbs go. Fructose tends to be stored as liver glycogen rather than muscle glycogen, so it depends on goals. Although the insulin response to fructose isn't as dramaitc as a sucrose based product, it all wants to go to the liver for storage as opposed to muscle tissue. As a weightlifter I'm more concerned about muscle glycogen. (I'm just getting into this running thing.)
But back to the main subject, it sounds like carbonation in general isn't going to really hurt cardio performance. |
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Paul
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 28 Apr 2002
Posts: 1610
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2002 10:45 am Post subject: |
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You raise some valid points, but weightlifting in general is a creatine-phosphate energy cycle sport. Normally one is referring to full recovery between sets. One of the interesting things about The Glucose Revolution is its emphasis on low glycemic carbs before your workout or competition and high glycemic carbs after for recovery.
Paul |
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