Bittersweet: do cyclists consume too much sugar?

As a cyclist, my relationship with sugar is complicated. Essentially, it is a balancing act. You need sugar to fuel your muscles while riding, but we also know that too much sugar can be detrimental to your health and performance. As with many things in life, there’s a fine line between too much and just enough.

The NHS recommends no more than 30g (equivalent to 7 teaspoons) of ‘free’ or added sugar per day. These sugars are called “free” because they are not bound to the structure of the food and include all sugars added by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, as well as sugars found in fruit juices and honey. increase. The average person swallows 50g (12 teaspoons) per day. This is almost double the NHS recommended dose. Excessive intake of this sugar is associated with a variety of ailments, including obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Given that it’s packed with the best energy drinks and the best energy bars (one energy bar can contain more than half of your recommended daily limit), cyclists are unconsciously And if cyclists need to take a different approach to cycling nutrition.

Benefits of sugar for cycling

(Image credit: Future)

Sugars are short-chain carbohydrates, and that’s exactly what fuels most of our riding. Carbohydrates are used as one.

“However, especially during high intensity or long duration exercise, carbohydrate stores in the liver and muscles can be quickly depleted. is one way to prevent glycogen depletion and provide fuel to keep exercising.” A meta-analysis of 73 studies by researchers at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand found that sugar intake during exercise It has been found to lead to performance improvements of up to 6%.

natural vs sugar

Most of the sugar in cakes and biscuits is ‘free’ or ‘exogenous’. That is, sugar added to food that is not bound by the structure of the food. In contrast, natural or ‘endogenous’ sugars are embedded in the cellular structure of foods such as fruits, vegetables and dairy products. This means that it comes with other ingredients such as fiber that slow the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream. If you don’t use the energy provided by your body, it is more likely to end up being stored as fat.

Sugar Cons for Cyclists

The image shows a cyclist riding a bicycle and consuming sugar

(Image credit: Future)

Not all sugars are the same. Different types raise blood sugar levels at different rates and are absorbed using different pathways. combined allows the body to absorb more carbohydrates per hour than either type of sugar alone. Very useful. For high-intensity rides when your body needs as many carbohydrates as it can absorb.

However, the performance benefits of sugar come at a price. Studies have shown that athletes who consume large amounts of energy drinks, gels and bars experience severe tooth decay and erosion. “These products are high in sugar and are typically consumed frequently during exercise, which is particularly damaging to teeth,” said Professor of Periodontology and Evidence-Based Health Care at his University College London. Professor Ian Needleman explains. “A study of elite and Olympian athletes found that more than half had levels of tooth decay that required intervention – far more than the general population.”

Professor Needleman’s research also shows that poor dental health can have a significant impact on performance. “Pain from poor oral health can affect your ability to train and compete, and it can affect your diet,” he says. I don’t want to, and I’m not saying athletes shouldn’t use it, but they should be aware of the oral health risks that can be mitigated with simple steps,” says Needleman. recommends using a high-fluoride toothpaste (with a prescription) twice a day and a fluoride mouthrinse midway through the day. “We recommend that he has two checkups a year because of the increased risk. We also treat the dentist as an oral health coach to support his training.”

George Robinson, performance nutritionist at British Cycling, recommends using a two-bottle strategy, where the first bottle contains carbohydrates and the second bottle contains water. “By first having a carbohydrate drink will give you energy for your workout, then by drinking plain water you will be able to remove the sugar from your teeth and gums,” he explains. increase.

Sugar Substitutes for Cyclists

The image shows a cyclist riding a bicycle and consuming sugar

(Image credit: Future)

So could other types of carbohydrates, like potatoes, that are less likely to damage teeth, replace sugar as ride fuel? A team of researchers found no difference in performance between endurance cyclists who ingested pureed potatoes and cyclists who used energy gels at a recommended dose of approximately 60g per hour during 2 hours of cycling. challenge.

“At low exercise intensities, potatoes will do a perfectly good job,” explains Gonzalez. No. Any fast-digesting carb, such as potatoes, rice, or bananas, can keep up with demand,” he explains. Liquid or gel sugar can play a really useful role, especially if you’re doing a lot of cycling.”

If you don’t like the idea of eating potatoes, don’t worry. You have other options. James Moran, Head of Nutrition, Uno-X Pro Cycling Team, said: “Carbohydrates are absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly, and these foods help curb hunger. There are only a limited number of solid foods you can eat, so you’ll probably need sugar as well.”

Easy rides of less than an hour don’t require you to consume any food if you aren’t exhausted at the start. Also keep in mind that during low-intensity cycling, most of the energy your body uses comes from fat. On more intense rides, or longer endurance rides after glycogen levels are depleted, concentrated sugar sources like gels, energy drinks and chews penetrate your bloodstream and muscles faster. carbohydrate drinks, gels and chews, which contain a combination of maltodextrin and fructose to increase the amount of sugars you can absorb per hour from 60 to 80-120 g per hour You can,” says Moran.

Can too much sugar on the bike cause health problems?

The image shows a cyclist riding a bicycle and consuming sugar

(Image credit: Future)

Considering that a gel typically contains 20-25 g of sugar, a 500 ml energy drink contains 40-50 g, and an energy bar around 20 g, a cyclist can consume 1 It’s easy to understand that this ride could significantly exceed the NHS recommended 30g daily intake. Gonzalez said NHS guidelines don’t apply to cyclists. “Of course, as a hard-training cyclist, there is no upper limit to his sugar intake per day,” he reassures. “There are no real metabolic health hazards for people who consume sugar when they are engaged in high levels of physical activity,” Moran agrees. “The amount and intensity of training that cyclists do and their insulin sensitivity make me feel good from a health point of view.”

Many of the health risks associated with sugar are associated with consumption at rest rather than during exercise. In this scenario, consuming sugar or carbohydrates raises blood sugar levels, which in turn causes insulin levels to rise, returning blood sugar levels to normal range. Refined carbohydrates can cause a greater spike in blood sugar levels than our bodies have evolved to handle. This is potentially bad news for our health as it increases the risk.

But serious cyclists shouldn’t worry too much. Glucose metabolism during exercise is different. It is taken up by muscle cells without the need for insulin. This means that the sugar you consume does not contribute to insulin spikes or the risk of type 2 diabetes. Gonzales explains. In other words, training increases your sensitivity to insulin. That means less insulin is needed to move glucose from the blood to the cells. Studies have shown that highly trained athletes are better able to process sugars than the average inactive person. What about concerns that it might increase risk? Again, this does not happen to people who exercise regularly.

A study conducted at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, found that blood fat levels increased when volunteers ate a high-fructose diet, but blood fat levels did not increase when this diet was combined with regular endurance exercise. In other words, exercise prevented the rise in blood fat caused by high fructose intake. lower. These results suggest that regular exercise may offset the detrimental metabolic effects of sugar. This is good news for cyclists.

Should cyclists reduce sugar consumption off the bike?

Aside from sports-specific energy foods and drinks, the sugar content in our everyday foods and drinks is a bit of a different story. The sweetness offered by is tantalizingly delicious and perhaps even addictive. Your weight is determined by your overall energy balance (calories in and calories out).

“As a general rule, I recommend prioritizing sugar during workouts over sitting on the couch,” says Moran. “But sugar while you’re off the bike isn’t necessarily bad. If you’re going to have a hard training session the next day, consuming sugary foods like jam, honey, fruit juices, and energy drinks can help boost your glycogen levels.” You can recover, make sure you reach the amount of energy you need, and avoid energy shortages.”

So what’s the sweet spot?

As with many things in life, balance is everything. Sitting at your desk and eating sugary foods all day may not be good for your health, but the same foods you eat while riding your bike can provide quick-access fuel to your muscles, prevent fatigue, and maximize your In fact, avoiding sugar can impair your performance during the later stages of a HIIT workout or race, or a Zone 2 endurance ride. However, sugar consumption has a downside. That is, the corrosive effect on the teeth.

Useful strategies to reduce this risk include reducing riding intensity and switching to starchy carbohydrates, ensuring regular brushing, using high-fluoride toothpaste, and adopting a two-bottle strategy. and so on. Regular exercise increases insulin sensitivity and regulates blood triglycerides, so cyclists shouldn’t be overly concerned about the effects of sugar on their metabolic health.

The full version of this article was published in the print edition of Cycling Weekly. subscribe online (opens in new tab)Magazines delivered straight to your door each week.

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