Nutrition
Carb Loading Protocol
A carb loading protocol raises carbohydrate intake before long events to maximize glycogen. Familiar foods and gut tolerance matter more than extreme depletion tricks.
A carb loading protocol is a structured increase in dietary carbohydrate—often combined with a short training taper—to maximize muscle glycogen before endurance events lasting ninety minutes or more. Modern approaches favor moderate depletion avoidance and three days of eight to twelve grams per kilogram for some athletes, but individual gut tolerance rules.
Low fiber and familiar foods reduce race-morning risk.
Common questions
-
Do short events need carb loading?
Events under about ninety minutes rarely need aggressive loading if daily carbs are adequate. Longer races and multi-hour efforts benefit most from structured glycogen topping.
Related terms
Put Carb Loading Protocol into practice
Ohga connects nutrition, fitness, focus, and habits with an AI copilot that learns your patterns. Join the waitlist for early access.