Nutrition for endurance athletes is no longer a fringe topic – it is central to top performance. Despite the growing interest, misinformation remains widespread. From the confusion of carbohydrates to misguided fasting training, many athletes make critical mistakes that affect their performance, relaxation and long -term health.
In this article we will collapse Seven joint endurance -nutrition myths– and explain the real science behind it. These findings come directly from a certified sports dietetician who has learned to support endurance athletes at all levels.
Diet of endurance athletes misunderstandings
1. Myth: The food more food improves performance
Some athletes believe that “carbohydrate charging” or large meals gives an energy advantage before a race. Unfortunately, overfirching – especially before an event – can backfire. It often leads to Bloating, cramps and stomach painEspecially when unknown foods or excessive fiber and carbohydrates are consumed.
Why it happens:
During the training, the blood flow is derived from the intestine and in the direction of work muscles (de Oliveira et al., 2014). This makes digestion less efficient and increases the risk of a gastrointestinal pollution.
Also, More carbohydrates do not always mean fuel. A review of 2020 showed that the rate of carbohydrate during training during training during training during training does not necessarily increase with a higher recording (Rothschild et al., 2020). However, the skipping of carbohydrates also leads to under -performance. Therefore, Timing and moderation of meals are important.
Key to take away:
Eat foods that your body tolerates well. Before the race, concentrate on easy-to-digest carbohydrates and test your fuel strategy during training, not on race day.
2. Myth: Rapidly digested carbohydrates are getting better and better during training
It is a popular conviction that “fast” carbohydrates such as glucose are superior to energy during long events. But that’s Too simple.
Here is the real story: your body can only record 60 grams of a single type of sugar per hour (Jeukendrup, 2014). But the combination of different sugar – such as glucose and fructose – exposes the body to use it Up to 90 grams per hour Or more.
Example:
In a study, a mixture of glucose and fructose increased carbohydrate oxidation compared to glucose by 75% (Currell & Jeukendrup, 2008).
What does this mean for you:
- In the case of short events (<2 hours), a single sugar source is often sufficient.
- Use products for longer events with Several transportable carbohydrates (e.g. glucose + fructose or maltodextrin + fructose) for better energy and digestion.
3. Myth: It doesn’t matter How You get your calories
Some athletes think as long as they achieve their calorie or macronutrient goals, the form – Fieldes food against liquid – does not matter. But that’s not true, especially with endurance events.
Why it is important:
- Solid food Require more digestion, which can be problematic for high -quality activities such as running.
- Liquid diet (such as gels or beverage blends) is absorbed faster and causes fewer stomach problems, especially for long races.
Tips:
- Cyclist: You can tolerate fixed options such as energy rods or rice cake.
- Runner/triathlete: Stick to liquids or gels paired with water to make digestion easier.
4. Myth: fats do not help with performance
Many endurance athletes completely avoid fats and think that they slowly digest and do not support the energy requirement. However, this is only partially true.
Here is the nuance:
Yes, Fats are slower to digestSo shortly before a race you shouldn’t eat a high -fat meal. But with longer, lower intensity efforts your body is strongly based on the fat metabolism For fuel, especially if they are well trained.
Funny fact:
Elite endurance athletes often burn more fat and protect the glycogen during training. If your diet is too carbian and low in fats, your performance can plateau.
Suggestions:
- Add healthy fats (such as nuts, seeds and fat fish) at daily meals.
- Avoid high -fat meals shortly before training or race.
5. Myth: If it works for you, it works for me
Copying another nutrition plan – whether it is your training partner or a professional athlete is risky.
Why?
Everyone has different energy requirements, digestive speeds, sweat rates and metabolic reactions.
Example:
When an amateur cyclist tries to reach the recording of a professional -count 100 g carbohydrates/hour and 1 l water -you may feel bloated or sluggish. High -carbent intake without proper adjustment can overwhelm your intestine.
Best practice:
Start with general guidelines (e.g. 30–60 g of carbohydrate per hour) and adapt to your training data, your body weight and personal tolerance.
6. Myth: I should always drink water during training
Overbidation can be just as dangerous as dehydration.
In the case of longer endurance events ,, Your body loses both Liquid and electrolyte (Sodium, potassium, chloride). The replacement of only water can lead to this Hyponatremiaa potentially life -threatening disease caused by low blood sodium.
What to do instead:
- Use Electrolyte mixes or sports drinksEspecially in long events or hot weather.
- Measure your welding rate to personalize your fluid intake:
formula:
(Weight before the training weight after training + liquid consumed urine volume) ÷ hours trained = welding rate (l/h)
Additional tip:
Drink Cold fluids The core temperature can lower in hot environments.
7. Myth: Training -Fasted helps to burn more fat
“Train Low” (with low carbohydrate availability) is a trendy tactic, but is associated with risks – especially for endurance athletes.
Problem:
Endurance training is catabolic. If you do not consume sufficient carbohydrates or protein, your body can reduce muscle tissue for energy (Tarnopolsky, 2004).
Solution:
Refuel your sessions with carbohydrates and some protein to protect the muscles and support recovery. In long training sessions, the intra session protein (such as BCAAs or small protein carb combinations) can help reduce muscle breakdown.
Caution:
Fasted training can be effective for selective and in the right training phase – but not your standard approach.
Conclusion: Personalization beats popularity
Understanding the truth about endurance nutrition requires more than just trends. It means recognizing the individual needs of your body and adapting it accordingly. The right strategy is Personalized, evidence -based and tested in training– still on race day.
If you want to help optimize your endurance nutrition, contact our sports dietetician. Whether online or personally, we can help you to recharge your batteries and work better.
References
- Tarnopolsky, M. (2004). Protein requirement for endurance athletes. Nutrition, 20 (7–8), 662–668. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.nut.2004.04.008
- Currell, K. & Jeukendrup, AE (2008). Superior endurance performance with the absorption of several transporting carbohydrates. Medicine & Science in Sports & Training, 40 (2), 275–281. https://doi.org/10.1249/ms.0b013e31815adf19
- Jeukendrup, A. (2014). A step towards personalized sports nutrition: carbohydrate recording during training. Sports medicine, 44 (Suppl 1), S25 – S33. https://doi.org/10.1007/S40279-014-0148-Z
- De Oliveira, EP, Burini, RC & Jeukendrup, A. (2014). Gastrointestinal complaints during training: prevalence, etiology and nutritional recommendations. Sports medicine, 44 (Suppl 1), S79 – S85. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-0153-2
- Rothschild, yes, Kilding, AE & Plews, DJ (2020). What should I eat before training? Nutrients, 12 (11), 3473. Https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113473
