Even Elite Gymnasts Do Fine Without Carbs
The myth that everybody needs to eat large amounts of carbs to exercise is on the way out. Here’s another nail in the coffin:
A strict ketogenic low carb diet seem to work fine even for elite gymnasts. In a new study they kept their strenght and lost fat mass (even though they were very fit to begin with!) while gaining a non-significant amount of muscle weight.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 26 July 2012: Ketogenic diet does not affect strength performance in elite artistic gymnasts
Research article
Ketogenic diet does not affect strength performance in elite artistic gymnasts
Published: 26 July 2012
Abstract (provisional)
Background
Despite the increasing use of very low carbohydrate ketogenic diets (VLCKD) in weight control and management of the metabolic syndrome there is a paucity of research about effects of VLCKD on sport performance. Ketogenic diets may be useful in sports that include weight class divisions and the aim of our study was to investigate the influence of VLCKD on explosive strength performance.
Methods
8 athletes, elite artistic gymnasts (age 20.9 +/- 5.5 yrs) were recruited. We analyzed body composition and various performance aspects (hanging straight leg raise, ground push up, parallel bar dips, pull up, squat jump, countermovement jump, 30 sec continuous jumps) before and after 30 days of a modified ketogenic diet. The diet was based on green vegetables, olive oil, fish and meat plus dishes composed of high quality protein and virtually zero carbohydrates, but which mimicked their taste, with the addition of some herbal extracts. During the VLCKD the athletes performed the normal training program. After three months the same protocol, tests were performed before and after 30 days of the athletes' usual diet (a typically western diet, WD). A one-way Anova for repeated measurements was used.
Results
No significant differences were detected between VLCKD and WD in all strength tests. Significant differences were found in body weight and body composition: after VLCKD there was a decrease in body weight (from 69.6 +/- 7.3 Kg to 68.0 +/- 7.5 Kg) and fat mass (from 5.3 +/- 1.3 Kg to 3.4 +/- 0.8 Kg p < 0.001) with a non-significant increase in muscle mass.
Conclusions
Despite concerns of coaches and doctors about the possible detrimental effects of low carbohydrate diets on athletic performance and the well known importance of carbohydrates there are no data about VLCKD and strength performance. The undeniable and sudden effect of VLCKD on fat loss may be useful for those athletes who compete in sports based on weight class. We have demonstrated that using VLCKD for a relatively short time period (i.e. 30 days) can decrease body weight and body fat without negative effects on strength performance in high level athletes.
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