Skipping Breakfast Hurts Performance Later in the Day
The impact of skipping breakfast on evening athletic performance in highly trained cyclists.
The study "Omission of a carbohydrate-rich breakfast impairs evening endurance exercise performance despite complete dietary compensation at lunch" (PMID: 32674691) investigates the impact of skipping breakfast on athletic performance in highly trained cyclists.
Key Points
Objective: To determine whether the omission of a carbohydrate-rich breakfast affects evening exercise performance, even when dietary compensation is made at lunch.
Participants: Eleven highly trained male cyclists (average age 25 years, VO2 max 61 ml·kg·min).
Study Design: A randomised crossover trial where participants underwent two conditions:
Breakfast (B): Consumed a personalised breakfast (583 kcal) followed by a standard lunch (874 kcal).
No Breakfast (NB): Fasted until lunch, consuming a larger standardised lunch (1457 kcal).
Nutritional Composition: The overall energy and macronutrient profiles were identical across both conditions, with carbohydrate intake being the focus.
Performance Measurement: Participants completed a 20 km time trial in the evening. Results showed that mean power output was approximately 3% lower in the NB condition compared to B.
Physiological Measures: No significant differences were found in heart rate, blood glucose, or blood lactate levels. However, perceived exertion was higher during the initial stages of the time trial in the NB condition.
Related
Practical Takeaways
Meal Timing Matters: The results suggest that meal timing, particularly the inclusion of a high-carbohydrate breakfast, is crucial for optimising endurance performance later in the day.
Carbohydrate Availability: Simply compensating for missed calories at lunch does not mitigate the negative effects on performance associated with skipping breakfast.
Recommendations for Athletes: Athletes should prioritise consuming a carbohydrate-rich breakfast to enhance their performance during evening training or competitions.
Further Research Needed: While this study provides valuable insights, additional research could explore long-term effects and implications for different types of athletes and sports.
In the end, this study emphasises the importance of breakfast for athletes, particularly in maintaining performance levels for evening endurance activities.
Reference
Metcalfe RS, Thomas M, Lamb C, Chowdhury EA. Omission of a carbohydrate-rich breakfast impairs evening endurance exercise performance despite complete dietary compensation at lunch. Eur J Sport Sci. 2021 Jul;21(7):1013-1021. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2020.1797890. Epub 2020 Aug 27. PMID: 32674691.