What Are Multi-transportable Carbohydrates?

What Are Multi- transportable Carbohydrates? (Part 1 of 2)

When it comes to optimising athletic performance, proper nutrition plays a crucial role. Athletes require a steady supply of energy to sustain their intense physical activity levels. Carbohydrates, being the body's preferred fuel source, are of paramount importance. However, the rate at which carbohydrates can be absorbed during exercise is limited. This is where the concept of multi-transportable carbohydrates comes into play, allowing athletes to absorb more carbohydrates per hour during exercise, ultimately enhancing their performance.

Understanding Multi-Transportable Carbohydrates:

Glucose is transported into the bloodstream using a single transporter called the sodium-dependent glucose transporter-1 (SGLT-1). However, this transporter has a limited capacity, resulting in a maximum absorption rate of around 60 grams per hour. You may ask, “How do athletes absorb more than 60g/ hour?”, this is where fructose comes into play.

Glucose and fructose, are absorbed through separate pathways. Where glucose utilises the SGLT-1 transporter, fructose is absorbed through a different transporter called the GLUT-5 transporter. This dual transportation mechanism allows for a greater total carbohydrate absorption rate, surpassing the limitations imposed by the SGLT-1 transporter alone. it is important to note that for duel- transportation to take place, the SGLT-1 transporter must be saturated, meaning you need to consume a minimum of 60g glucose an hour to utilise the GLUT-5 transporter.

Enhancing Carbohydrate Absorption:

Research has shown that when glucose and fructose are consumed together in a ratio of approximately 2:1 (or if athletes are well trained in absorbing large quantities of carbohydrates, a 1:1 ratio), the total amount of carbohydrates absorbed far surpasses the 60g/ hour mark.

Just to re-cap, the reason behind the enhanced absorption lies in the fact that glucose and fructose use different transporters, enabling simultaneous uptake. This mechanism takes advantage of the separate absorption pathways and bypasses the limitation of SGLT-1 saturation. Consequently, the additional carbohydrate availability provides more fuel for muscles, prolonging endurance and delaying fatigue.

Make sure you check all carbohydrate drink mixes, gels and chews to make sure they utilise “multi-transportable” carbohydrates, and if you are aiming to consume more than 60g/ hour, at least 60g of your total intake comes from glucose alone.

Multi-transportable carbohydrates provide athletes with a practical strategy to enhance their athletic performance. By combining glucose and fructose in the right ratio, athletes can increase their carbohydrate absorption rate, surpassing the limitations of the single-transporter system.

In part 2 I will explore the benefits behind the consumption of multi-transportable carbohydrates.