Under Consumed and Overestimated: Discrepancies in Race-Day Carbohydrate Intake Among Endurance Athletes
Written by Erika Behrmann RD, CSSD, CDCES, LDN
Hi There, Team Dietitian Erika here to discuss a study examining the Discrepancies in Race-Day Carbohydrate Intake Among Endurance Athletes.
As a registered dietitians dedicated to helping recreational athletes fuel optimally for their physical activities and races, it's crucial to delve into the nuances of race-day carbohydrate (CHO) intake. Recent findings shed light on significant discrepancies between what endurance athletes plan to consume and their actual intake during races, highlighting key insights and practical recommendations.
Despite established guidelines recommending 60-90 grams of CHO per hour during extended exercise, many athletes fall short of these targets. In a study of 60 Tier 2 (recreational athletes that are training for a specific sport or event) athletes, actual CHO intake averaged 31.7 ± 23.5 grams per hour, lower than the planned intake of 38.0 ± 27.3 grams per hour. This gap is particularly pronounced in marathoners and cyclists, who consume less than planned, often overestimating their intake—especially with CHO gels, which had the highest leftover rate.
Planned vs. Actual Intake by Group:
Cyclists: Planned 58.9 grams but consumed 49.1 grams per hour, showing a shortfall of 10.3 grams per hour.
Marathoners: Planned 25.9 grams but consumed 21.7 grams per hour, with a discrepancy of 4.2 grams per hour. Here, the disconnect between perceived and actual intake is notable, reflecting a behavioral gap.
Behavioral factors play a crucial role in these disparities. Cyclists demonstrated better adherence to their plans, largely due to more effective sleep behaviors and lower cognitive anxiety. These findings suggest that good sleep and managing anxiety are critical for both performance and optimal race-day fueling.
The study also highlights that product choice influences fueling effectiveness. While liquid forms like drink powders and sports drinks were mostly consumed, gels- despite their convenience, were frequently left unfinished leading to an overestimation of actual intake. This emphasizes the importance of choosing the right product types to meet planned CHO goals.
The insights gathered from this study underscore the necessity for athletes to educate themselves on structured CHO strategies that align with evidence-based guidelines, ensuring they are consuming enough to support their endurance efforts. Encouraging real-time monitoring of intake and leftovers can refine these strategies further, bridging the gap between intentions and execution. It may also be useful to practice keeping track of total CHO intake during training and seeing which CHO source tends to be most utilized so that participants are adequately fueled on race day.
Additionally, addressing psychological and sleep-related factors ahead of competition can significantly influence athletes’ ability to meet their nutrition goals on race day.
If you need support or guidance in applying these strategies to your training and race-day activities, Team Holley Fueled Nutrition is here to assist you in achieving peak performance through optimized nutrition.