Macro partitioning
Female endurance athletes should consume 8-10 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight in the 3 days leading up to an event (carbohydrate loading) to maximize muscle glycogen stores, with particular emphasis on this strategy during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
Three days before your big race or long event, increase your carbohydrate intake to 8-10 grams for every kilogram of your body weight. This means eating more pasta, rice, and fruits than usual. This strategy fills your muscle glycogen stores, giving you more energy for the event. This is especially important if you are in the luteal phase (second half) of your menstrual cycle, as your body may burn through glycogen faster.
Practically, females can carbohydrate load in either phase of the menstrual cycle by adhering to the recommendation of 8-10 g CHO/kg BW in the 3 days leading up to an event.
Why this rating
Based on narrative review of multiple studies comparing carbohydrate loading protocols in women.
Source
Sex differences and considerations for female specific nutritional strategies: a narrative review
Kealey J. Wohlgemuth et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2021
DOI 10.1186/s12970-021-00422-8
More from this paper
- Female athletes should maintain an energy availability of 40–45 kcal/kg fat-free mass per day to sustain eumenorrhea, bone health, and metabolic function, as habitual low energy availability leads to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) or the Female Athlete Triad.Good
- Female athletes should consume 1 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight in the hours prior to aerobic exercise to maximize carbohydrate availability, as pre-exercise feeding is likely more important during the follicular phase when carbohydrate oxidation rates are elevated.Good
- Female athletes should consume 500-1000 mL of a 6% carbohydrate solution per hour during prolonged endurance exercise (>90 minutes) to experience ergogenic effects, regardless of menstrual cycle phase.Good
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