The diet of athletes requires adequate energy intake, and the main energy source is carbohydrates CHOs which are found freely in the blood stream or stored in muscles and liver. Based on routine training and in competitions or even in the exacerbated amount of energy required, CHO supplementation is usually required, either in the form of energy drinks, gels, bars or candies before, during or after physical activity. Due to the importance of CHO studies were collected that tested different CHOs supplementation before exercise to increase performance. Articles and thesis were investigated whose publication occurred as from 2006 in electronic scientific bases and theses databases of renowned colleges in the area. CHOs can be divided according to the number of molecules that compose it, which are also differentiated by digestion, absorption, viscosity, sweetness, glycemic index GI and oxidation during activity. Comparing the rate of oxidation, the best results were found when ingested CHOs are high GI glucose and sucrose and low GI fructose when performing prolonged activity with medium to high intensity. The CHO intake before exercise was efficient in the nine studies analyzed, two of which showed relevance p<0.005. Even with the intake of CHO with different GI, improvement was observed and there were no rebound hypoglycemia reports as hypothesized in the literature. CHO supplementation with the appropriate composition and administration proved effective in increasing physical performance.
athletic performance; carbohydrate metabolism; dietary supplements
