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Effect of the intake of high or low glycemic index high carbohydrate-meals on athletes’ sleep quality in pre-game nights
In this study, Natàlia et al. (2022) examined how high (HGI) or low glycemic index (LGI) high-carbohydrate meals affected athletes’ sleep quality. For the duration of two days during a basketball championship, nine male basketball players were given high-carbohydrate meals (dinner and evening snack) with HGI or LGI. Data on sleep was collected in both quantitative and qualitative measures, including sleep latency (LAT), sleep efficiency (EFIC), Wake After Sleep Onset (WASO), and sleep time, using actigraphy and sleep diary. Dietary intake, satiety, sleepiness, glycemic response, salivary cortisol and melatonin were among relevant parameters investigated for the study. The results revealed that the athletes scored higher on LAT and WASO and lower on nocturnal sleep time when compared to recommended scores. Although the athletes did not show any changes in sleep or hormonal levels in response to GI alterations, a relationship was seen between sleep and diet. Specifically, the amount of energy consumed per day was found to adversely affect sleep efficiency and nocturnal total sleep time and WASO favorably, regardless of meals consumed at night. However, no changes were seen in salivary cortisol and melatonin in response to GI. The authors comment that food eaten throughout the day affects sleep parameters of basketball athletes more significantly than altering the GI of meals eaten on the pre-game night, however, conducting more studies is paramount to further outline this complex interaction. [NPID: Sleep, glycemic index, athletes, dietetics]
Year: 2019
