What are the effects of carbohydrate consumption during exercise?

Carbohydrate consumption during exercise is known to significantly influence athletic performance. When carbohydrates are ingested, they provide a readily available source of glucose, which can be utilized for energy. This is particularly important during prolonged or high-intensity exercise, where muscle glycogen stores can become depleted.

By consuming carbohydrates during physical activity, athletes can enhance their endurance, which results in increased performance and a longer time to exhaustion. Studies have consistently shown that athletes who consume carbohydrates while exercising can maintain their performance levels better compared to those who do not. This is because carbohydrates help to sustain blood glucose levels and delay fatigue, allowing for more sustained effort and improved overall physical output.

The other options, while they may have some relevance in the context of exercise, do not directly explain the primary impact that carbohydrate intake has on performance during exercise. Thus, the choice highlighting increases in performance and time to exhaustion is well-supported by sports nutrition research.