The Pre-Competition Meal
Report #6862
Many athletes are superstitious about what they eat before a competition, but they can usually eat anything they want, provided that the food passes from their stomachs by the time they start competing.
It is far more important when you eat your pregame meal than what you eat. The pre-competition meal should be eaten not more than five hours before competition. Your brain gets more than 98% of its energy from sugar in your bloodstream and when blood sugar levels drop, you feel exhausted. However, there is only enough sugar in your bloodstream to last 3 minutes. To keep blood sugar levels from dropping, your liver constantly releases large amounts of sugar from its cells into your bloodstream. However, there is only enough sugar in your liver to last twelve hours when you rest and far less when you exercise. If you eat more than a few hours before you compete, you will start competition with low liver sugar levels and will tire earlier during competition. If you eat too close to the start of competition, the food may remain in your stomach and cause cramps. Most athletes eat to one to three hours before game time.
You can eat anything that passes from your stomach rapidly. Usually fatty foods take longer to pass from the stomach, so some people avoid buttered pancakes, bacon or fried potatoes, but others can eat these foods within a half hour of competition and suffer no ill effects whatever. Sugared foods and drinks are fine, but you do not need to eat sugar to load your liver with sugar; your body converts any type food you eat into sugar for energy.
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D., for CBS Radio News
Checked 10/20/09