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Carbohydrates play a vital role during exercise primarily by providing a readily available source of energy. When you engage in physical activity, your body relies on carbohydrates, which are stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen, to fuel performance. This stored energy is crucial for sustaining high-intensity efforts and prolonged endurance activities. The body can quickly metabolize carbohydrates to meet the immediate energy demands of exercising muscles, making them a preferred fuel source compared to fats, particularly during high-intensity workouts.

While carbohydrates do aid in recovery after workouts, their main function during exercise is energy provision. They do not directly enhance flexibility or joint mobility, nor do they specifically encourage fat burning as a primary role during the actual performance of exercise. Instead, fat burning may occur as part of a longer-term metabolic process, but carbohydrates remain the immediate source of energy needed for effective performance.