Influência do índice glicêmico da refeição pré-exercício na resposta metabólica e no desempenho físico: uma revisão narrativa

Abstract

In physical exercise, carbohydrate is essential for the energy supply to the brain and as a substrate for muscle work. For that matter, some strategies to improve exercise performance are based on the manipulation of the ingested carbohydrate and its glycemic index (GI), which determines the speed of its absorption and the increase or decrease of blood glucose, which has been studied with the purpose of investigating the influence particularly of the pre-exercise meal. Thus, the aim of this study was to verify the effect of the pre-exercise intake of meals with high, moderate, and low glycemic index on the metabolic response and physical performance. To this end, a narrative review of the literature was conducted in databases such as Med line via PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online (Sci ELO), LILACS and Google Scholar platform. The search terms (keywords and descriptors—DECs), were used in various combinations. Subsequently, studies in Portuguese and English were selected and there was no restriction on the time limit for publication. The results found in this review were both mixed and contradictory, besides the studies used different methodologies and heterogeneous sports activities. The analysis of epidemiological studies showed metabolic and physiological benefits of consuming a low glycemic index meal (LGI) before exercise, providing a lower glycemic and insulin response before exercise. However, no differences were observed in physical performance as a function of the GI of the pre-exercise meal. Further, randomized clinical trials with longer intervention times are needed to consistently evaluate the outcomes and produce more evidence.