Research
Macro partitioning
Ingesting carbohydrates during soccer match-play or simulated activity improves skilled performance (e.g., dribbling speed) and perceived arousal, even in the absence of hypoglycemia, likely by maintaining higher blood glucose levels.
Consume carbohydrates during matches or long training sessions. Even if you don't feel 'low energy', CHO ingestion can improve your dribbling speed and mental arousal. Practice this strategy in training to find what works for your stomach.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Currell and colleagues [28] observed that the ability to dribble a ball around cones at various time points during soccer simulated activity was demonstrably slower with placebo compared with ingestion of CHO. In addition, further investigations have observed improvements in specific soccer skills [29] and perceived activation/arousal [30].
Why this rating
Based on specific studies cited (Currell et al., others) showing improvements in skills, though the paper notes hypoglycemia was not evident, suggesting a complex mechanism.
Source
Energy Requirements and Nutritional Strategies for Male Soccer Players: A Review and Suggestions for Practice
Andrew T. Hulton et al. · Nutrients · 2022
narrative_reviewCited 59×
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