Comparative Effect of Carbohydrate Overcompensation in Sprinters and MMA Fighters

The ergogenic effect of overcompensating carbohydrates is widely studied and proven only in long-term  performance. Some questions remain about the optimal nutrition in the training model to improve aerobic  performance in sprinters and MMA athletes. Our goal is for carbohydrate overcompensation to improve the  performance of two high-intensity exercises. We evaluated the athlets physiological responses before and  after the carbohydrate overcompensation protocol. Anthropometric measurements were collected and a food  history was made. Cardiopulmonary exercise was performed to determine the peak oxygen uptake, running  time, blood glucose and power profile before and after the protocol. None difference was observed in peak  oxygen uptake between athletes. A significative decrease (p < 0.05) was observed in the running time and  blood glucose rate in sprinters while was observed an increase in power profile in MMA fighter. A  correlation was observed between peak oxygen uptake and running time and power profile, suggesting  sprinters can be more aerobic capacity in anaerobic exercise. The exercise-diet procedure using  carbohydrate as ergogenic showed a favorable result related to increased performance, especially in  anaerobic exercises of short duration and high intensity, such as sprinters.

Keywords: MMA fight; sprinters; carbohydrates overload; ergogenic; aerobic capacity; blood glucose in  the exercise; anaerobic threshold.