Date of Defense
4-24-2015
Date of Graduation
5-2015
Department
Family and Consumer Sciences
First Advisor
Bonnie Farmer
Second Advisor
Jane Baas
Abstract
Advocates of low-carbohydrate (LC) diets assert that these diets help lessen dependence on sugar while aiding in the metabolism of fat tissue. Additionally, it is believed that lipolysis helps dieters feel more energetic, lose weight, and improve physical performance. For these reasons, many athletes and active people are drawn to diets such as the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Paleo Diet, and the Zone Diet. According to current evidence, excessive weight loss, ketosis, reduced glycogen availability, dehydration, and increased stress hormone levels make LC diets that severely limit carbohydrates disadvantageous for athletes. Although LC diets are widely followed, their long-term effects are still not thoroughly understood. The purpose of this review is to examine the current research on substrate utilization during exercise as well as the diet patterns in question to determine whether they are appropriate for athletes and active people.
Recommended Citation
Jackle, Chelsea, "Fueling performance: Determining the efficacy of low-carbohydrate diet models for athletic populations" (2015). Honors Theses. 2593.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/2593
Access Setting
Honors Thesis-Open Access
Defense Presentation