January 2021 - 46

Research shows when potatoes benefit
performance: before, during and after exercise
When it comes
POTATOES USA
Jill Rittenberg
Senior Global
Marketing Manager,
Consumer and
Nutrition
to optimal physical
performance, athletes
are continually
searching for
advantages. While
manufactured
sports products
are consumed by
many athletes, new
research shows
promising results for
one whole food option
- potatoes!
A series of recent studies funded by
the Alliance for Potato Research and
Education (APRE) shows that potatoes
may be as effective as commercial sports
products in fueling before, during and after
exercise. The findings from these studies
suggest athletes and active consumers
should eat potatoes to perform at their
best, further supporting potatoes in
sports nutrition.
DURING EXERCISE
Another randomized, crossover study
of 12 endurance-trained cyclists found
that, compared to a commercially available
concentrated carbohydrate gel, eating russet
potato purée during a single prolonged cycling
event is as effective as carbohydrate gels
for supporting exercise performance.2
study indicates that potatoes eaten during
This
BEFORE EXERCISE
A new randomized, crossover study compared
when 16 recreationally active men and women
ate potato-based foods and exercised multiple
times in a single day. The study found that
glycogen recovery rates and performance during
a 20-kilometer timed stationary bike trial were
comparable to commercial sports supplements
and did not differ between genders.1
This study
suggests that eating potatoes before exercise
may support an athlete's performance and
help them stay fueled. However, as the first
study of its kind, larger and longer trials are
needed to confirm the results.
activity may maintain an athlete's energy
and enhance their performance, but further
research is needed with larger sample sizes to
demonstrate this effect in other populations.
AFTER EXERCISE
A single-blind randomized parallel-group
study provided 24 healthy young women with
either 25 grams of potato protein isolate,
supplemented twice daily, as part of a highprotein
diet at twice the recommended dietary
allowance (RDA) or a control diet at the RDA
for protein without potato protein isolate
for two weeks.3
The results showed that in
conjunction with high-repetition resistance
exercise, potato protein isolate can augment
rates of muscle protein synthesis (MPS)
in healthy young women following training
and at rest. This study suggests that potatobased
meals may provide the carbohydrates
athletes need to replenish their energy
stores, however more extensive and more
prolonged trials are needed to determine the
clinical implications fully.
The findings from these studies suggest
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that potatoes can be useful to athletes and
consumers of all types who are looking for
more ways to fuel their performance and
recovery. These findings position potatoes
as a nutrient-dense, whole food option
for active people and provide the potato
industry with further nutritional benefits to
promote. While these results indicate a
positive benefit, findings are not conclusive
and should not be generalized to different
populations, including by sport or training
level. Future research is needed.
1. Flynn S, Rosales A, Hailes W, et al. " Males and
females exhibit similar muscle glycogen recovery
with varied recovery food sources. " Eur J Appl
Physiol. 2020;120:1131-1142.
2. Salvador AF, et al. " Potato ingestion is as
effective as carbohydrate gels to support prolonged
cycling performance. " Journal of Applied Physiology.
2019;127(6):1651-1659.
3. Oikawa SY, Bahniwal R, Holloway TM, Lim C,
McLeod JC, McGlory C, Baker SK, Phillips SM.
" Potato protein isolate stimulates muscle protein
synthesis at rest and with resistance exercise in
young women. " Nutrients. 2020;12:1235.
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January 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2021
