Debunked: Endurance athletes’ nutritional misunderstandings

Nutrition for endurance athletes is no longer a marginal topic, which is the core of peak performance. However, despite growing interest, misinformation remains rampant. From carbohydrate confusion to misguided fasting training, many athletes make key mistakes that endanger their performance, recovery and long-term health.

In this article, we will break down Seven common endurance nutrition myths– and explain the real science behind them. These insights come directly from an experienced sports nutritionist designed to support endurance athletes of all levels.

Nutritional misunderstanding for endurance athletes

1. Myth: Eating more food will improve performance

Some athletes believe that “carbs” or eating big meals before the game will give them an energy advantage. Unfortunately, excessive attacks (especially before the event) can backfire. It often leads to Belly bloating, cramps and stomach painespecially when eating unfamiliar foods or excessive fiber and carbohydrates.

Why does it happen:
During exercise, blood flows away from the intestine and towards the working muscles (De Oliveira et al., 2014). This reduces digestive efficiency, thereby increasing the risk of gastrointestinal distress.

also, More carbohydrates don’t always mean more fuel. A 2020 review found that once pre-exercise carbohydrate carbohydrate metabolism rate does not necessarily increase with higher intake during exercise (Rothschild et al., 2020). However, skipping carbohydrates can also lead to poor performance. so, Meal time and moderation Very important.

Key points:
Eat food and your body tolerate it well. Focus on easy-to-digest carbs before the game and test your fueling strategy during training rather than on the day of the game.

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2. Myth: Quickly digested carbohydrates during exercise are always better

It is widely believed that “fast” carbohydrates like glucose provide an advantage on energy in long-term events. But this is Too simple.

Here is the true story: Your body can only absorb 60 grams per hour of a single type of sugar (Jeukendrup, 2014). But combine different sugars (such as glucose and fructose) to make the body use Up to 90 grams per hour Or more.

example:
In one study, the mixture of glucose and fructose increased by 75% compared to glucose alone (Currell & Jeukendrup, 2008).

What this means to you:

• For brief events (<2 hours), a single sugar source is usually sufficient.
• For longer events, use the A variety of transportable carbohydrates (e.g. glucose + fructose or maltodextrin + fructose) for better energy and digestion.

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3. Myth: It doesn’t matter how You get calories

Some athletes believe that the form (sweet-spreading food vs. liquid) doesn’t matter as long as they hit the target of calories or large nutrients. But this is not true, especially in the endurance event.

Why it matters:

• Solid food More digestion is required, which can be problematic in high-impact activities such as running.
• Liquid Nutrition (such as gels or beverage mixtures) are absorbed faster and cause fewer stomach problems, especially during long-term competitions.

Tip:

• Bicyclists: You can tolerate solid choices such as energy bars or rice cakes.
• Runner/Triathlete: Stick to using liquids or gels paired with water for easy digestion.

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4. Myth: Fat doesn’t help

Many endurance athletes avoid fat altogether, believing that they are digesting slowly and do not meet energy needs. But that’s only partially correct.

Here are the nuances:
Yes, Digestion of fat more slowlyso you shouldn’t have a high-fat meal right before the game. But in longer, lower intensity efforts, your body Depend heavily on fat metabolism For fuel, especially if you are well trained.

Interesting facts:
Elite endurance athletes usually burn more fat and retain glycogen during exercise. If you eat too carbohydrates and have low fat content, your performance may be stable.

suggestion:

• Add healthy fats such as nuts, seeds and fatty fish to your daily meal.
• Avoid high-fat meals before training or racing.

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5. Myth: If it works for them, it will work for me

Copying someone else’s nutrition plan (whether your training partner or professional athlete) is risky.

Why?
Everyone has different energy needs, digestion speed, sweat speed and metabolic response.

example:
If amateur cyclists try to match the Pro’s intake (such as 100g carbohydrates/hour and 1 liter of water), they may feel swollen or dull. Not having a proper adaptation of high carbohydrate intake can overwhelm your gut.

Best Practices:
Start with general guidelines (e.g. 30-60g carbohydrates/hour) and adjust based on your training data, weight and personal tolerance.

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6. Myth: I should keep drinking water during exercise

Excessive water transfer can be as dangerous as dehydration.

During a prolonged endurance event, Your body has lost both Fluids and electrolytes (Sodium, potassium, chloride). Replacing water only will cause HyponatremiaThis is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by low blood sodium.

But what to do:

• use Electrolyte mix or sports drinkespecially in long-term events or hot weather.
• Measure your sweat rate to personalize your fluid intake:

formula:
(Weight before exercise – Weight after exercise + fluid consumed – urine volume) ÷ hours of exercise = sweat rate (l/hr)

Additional tips:
drink Cooling liquid In a thermal environment, it can help lower core body temperature.

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7. Myth: Training fasting helps burn more fat

“Low training” (low carb availability) is a fashion strategy, but it poses risks, especially for endurance athletes.

question:
Endurance training is catabolically metabolized. If you don’t eat enough carbohydrates or protein, your body may start breaking down muscle tissue for energy (Tarnopolsky, 2004).

Solution:
Fuel your session with carbs and some protein to protect muscle and support recovery. For prolonged exercises, in-session proteins (such as BCAA or small protein carbohydrate combinations) can help reduce muscle breakdown.

warn:
Fasting training may be effective during selective use and at the right training phase, but should not be your default approach.

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Conclusion: Personalization is better than popularization

Understanding the truth about endurance nutrition requires not only following trends. This means recognizing the unique needs of the body and making adjustments accordingly. The correct strategy is Personalized, evidence-based and tested in training– Not on the day of the game.

If you want to help optimize endurance nutrition, please conduct a personalized consultation with our sports nutritionist. Whether online or in-person, we can help you be smarter and perform better.

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refer to

• Tarnopolsky, M. (2004). Protein requirements for endurance athletes. Nutrition, 20 (7-8), 662–668. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2004.04.008
• Currell, K. and Jeukendrup, AE (2008). Excellent endurance performance, ingesting a variety of transportable carbohydrates. Medicine and Science in Sports and Sports, 40 (2), 275–281. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31815adf19
• Jeukendrup, A. (2014). One step towards personalized exercise nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise. Sports Medicine, 44 (Suppl 1), S25 – S33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0148-z
• De Oliveira, EP, Burini, RC and Jeukendrup, A. (2014). Gastrointestinal complaints during exercise: prevalence, etiology and nutritional advice. Sports Medicine, 44 (Suppl 1), S79–S85. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0153-2
• Rothschild, JA, Kilding, AE, & Plews, DJ (2020). What should I eat before exercise? Nutrients, 12 (11), 3473. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113473