Carb Cycling: Myths Debunked
- kaitlynmjlee
- Nov 6, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 13, 2022
Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain muscle, or specifically change your body's proportions, no one can deny that a diet affects the composition of the body. Fad diets have cycled in and out of popularity over time and the current obsession within the sphere of health and wellness communities seems to be carbs: whether to eat them or not, when to eat them, and what exactly happens to our bodies when we do. Changing the levels of carbohydrates allowed on certain days and times, or carb-cycling, seems to be the newest diet on the docket.
So first let's start with what carb-cycling is. Carbs, or carbohydrates, are compounds that can be found in almost all foods to some degree and provide an immediate source of energy. They are found in the largest amounts in foods that include sugars and starches and have been a source of debate for a long time. Carb-cycling is a diet that instructs the user to rotate days or meals that include a large number of carbohydrates paired with low amounts of fats with alternating days where low amounts of carbohydrates and high amounts of fats are ingested. One day participants can eat their avocados, eggs, cheeses, meats, and nuts to their heart's content while avoiding sugars, bread, pasta, and fruits. On alternating days, they can have these higher-carb foods but must refrain from indulging in the fattier ones. Some users of this diet include a third day in the cycle that includes a moderate amount of both carbs and fats and allow this day to be the transition between the two more extreme ones.
(Image Source: dietdoctor.com)
Studies have shown* that carb-loading, or the act of consuming large amounts of carbohydrates before cardiovascular activity in order to create stores of carbohydrates that can be used during this extended activity, has been shown to have little positive impact on the levels of energy or endurance. Though consuming large quantities of carbohydrates past the daily recommended amount is not proven to increase performance, a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology* does state that the existence of carbohydrates in the body before any strenuous cardiovascular activity helps to sustain blood glucose levels in these athletes. This means that the carbohydrates do help to sustain an athlete's body for extended periods and fight the "energy crash" that is commonly experienced during a period of extended activity, but overloading on them is not necessary.
So we can generally agree that carbohydrate consumption is key for athletes to maintain stamina. But do frequent changes in the amounts of carbohydrates consumed on a given day have any benefit to long-term health? Another study** published by the Journal of Applied Physiology asserts that while increased consumption of carbohydrates does not appear to directly affect an athlete's performance, the changes in carbohydrate consumption are "associated with evidence of greater training-induced metabolic adaptations." In other words, the changes in the amounts of carbs consumed before a workout can lead to changes in metabolic speed or how quickly your body can burn the calories consumed. The constant alteration in the number of carbohydrates can lead to a higher rate of calories burned.
Research**** has also shown that differing the type of exercise completed can have effects on the body and how energy is broken down. Both carbohydrates and fats are converted by the body into energy but at differing rates. Fat is converted into energy at a slower rate than carbohydrates are and is usually used as a secondary form of energy after the body's carbohydrates have been used up. Because it is metabolized slower, fat often does not leave consumers with the feeling of an "energy crash" that can accompany the consumption of carbohydrates.
Because these rates differ, one form could be more appropriate for a type of exercise that is prolonged but less strenuous to the body's muscles while another may be more beneficial for a less cardiovascularly challenging type of exercise. For example, weight lifting is a form of exercise that uses muscular strength but on average includes less heavily aerobic activity. For this type of training, the body may best benefit from having more proteins and fats but does not need the higher levels of carbohydrates that are beneficial to a more cardiovascularly challenging workout, such as running, jumping rope, or bicycling. Researchers*** believe that this difference in metabolic rate of breakdown makes the consumption of higher-fat foods rather than those higher in carbohydrates more effective for types of exercise that have more sustained levels of energy exerted over a period of time. Others suggest forming a carb-cycling schedule so that the days that one consumes higher numbers of carbohydrates are physical rest days and the lower-carb days are the days that one completes a workout.
(Image source: Max Weber via Instagram @maxweberfit)
Because carbohydrates are metabolized faster than fat stores, this quick-release form of energy is often more useful in types of high-intensity training as a quick way to provide energy to your body that will be used immediately. If your body has fewer carbohydrates to break down it will burn its' stores of fat for energy instead, but participants may feel tired or depleted more rapidly than those that have consumed a meal higher in carbohydrates beforehand. This is where the idea of a low-carb diet as a way of accelerating weight loss has stemmed from. Whether this statement is entirely true or not, there have been studies shown to suggest it. As displayed in this study**** on metabolism, lower intensity, prolonged exercise such as low-impact cycling at a constant speed "results in a greater utilization of fat and less dependence on carbohydrate during the exercise" meaning that fat stores will eventually be tapped into as a provider of energy to complete an exercise in a more sustainable, long-term manner, without the spike of energy present in higher carbohydrate ingestion. Eventually, one's body will burn both forms of energy through exercise, but the differences in manner and rate are still up for debate.
There are a million factors that play into one's physical health and fitness levels so if you choose this plan, be sure to first do further research for yourself and consult with your doctor to ensure that this diet is right for you and your body. I am not a registered dietitian or physical trainer, I am just another fitness enthusiast who loves to research interesting topics and determine what works best for my body and mind. Ultimately, I believe that all bodies and minds are different. If carb-cycling forces you to focus too much mental energy on counting calories, consuming or not consuming carbs, or other unhealthy habits or forms of orthorexia, stray away and find a meal plan that is sustainable to your lifestyle and routine and that is beneficial to your physical and mental health. If this is the one that works for you, follow that plan until the cows come home (and let me know what you think!).
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