How Much Pasta Do Athletes Need After Running?
Effect of Different Carbohydrate Intakes within 24 Hours after Glycogen Depletion on Muscle Glycogen Recovery in Japanese Endurance Athletes
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Even 5 grams of carbs per kg—within standard 'moderate training' guidelines—wasn’t enough for full recovery in endurance athletes.
Many coaches and nutritionists consider 5–7 g/kg/day sufficient for most athletes, but this study shows 5 g/kg fails completely in a 24-hour recovery context.
Practical Takeaways
After a long or intense workout, aim for at least 7 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight throughout the day to fully recharge your muscles.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Even 5 grams of carbs per kg—within standard 'moderate training' guidelines—wasn’t enough for full recovery in endurance athletes.
Many coaches and nutritionists consider 5–7 g/kg/day sufficient for most athletes, but this study shows 5 g/kg fails completely in a 24-hour recovery context.
Practical Takeaways
After a long or intense workout, aim for at least 7 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight throughout the day to fully recharge your muscles.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2022
Authors
Keiko Namma-Motonaga, Emi Kondo, T. Osawa, Keisuke Shiose, Akiko Kamei, Motoko Taguchi, Hideyuki Takahashi
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Claims (4)
After a long workout (1-3 hours), you should eat 7-10 grams of carbs and about 1.8-2 grams of protein for every kilo you weigh to help your body recover best.
If Japanese male endurance athletes eat only 5 grams of carbs per kilo of body weight after tough exercise, their muscles don’t fully refill their energy stores in 24 hours. But if they eat 7 or 10 grams per kilo, their muscles do recover completely in that time.
If Japanese male endurance athletes don't eat enough carbs after tough exercise—like less than 7 grams per kilo of body weight—their muscles refill energy slower in the first half-day, especially between 4 to 12 hours after.
Japanese male endurance runners tend to eat about 6.8 grams of carbs for every kilogram they weigh each day, which is more than what Western guidelines usually suggest for moderate training — and this might be because of their food culture.