How much are athletes actually consuming?
Sent April 1, 2026. Prices and features may have changed since.
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· Actual carb consumption ·
Hi Saturday Morning Fan,
This week, we are looking at a study on race-day carbohydrate intake in endurance athletes. The researchers examined the gap between what athletes planned to consume and what they actually consumed during competition.
Purpose of the study
Current guidelines typically recommend 60g to 90g per hour during endurance events. However, most athletes base their fueling plans on targets rather than what they successfully execute. The authors aimed to “quantify actual CHO intake during endurance races and explore behavioral and psychological predictors”.
What were the results?
60 trained endurance athletes took part in either a marathon or a 101km cycling event. Researchers compared planned, perceived, and actual carbohydrate intake using food diaries and by weighing nutrition products before and after the race.
On average, athletes consumed 31.7g/h, well below their planned intake of 38.0g/h and far below recommended guidelines. Marathon runners were the lowest at 21.7g/h, while cyclists reached 49.1g/h.
Marathon runners tended to overestimate how much they consumed, while cyclists were more accurate, although still below target. Across both groups, unused nutrition, especially gels, contributed to the gap between plan and execution.
What does this mean for you?
First, use the Saturday app to give you a plan that provides enough carbs to support your training or event.
Second, assume that you will not consume everything you carry. In this study, athletes consumed roughly 80% of their planned intake. This is particularly relevant for gels, which had the highest leftover rate.
In Saturday your plan is built around your inputs and session demands. However, the key is not just what is prescribed, but what you consistently execute. This study reinforces the importance of practicing your fueling strategy in training and accounting for real-world variability.
Reference
Lanpir, Asli Devrim, et al. "Under consumed and overestimated: discrepancies in race-day carbohydrate intake among endurance athletes." European Journal of Sport Science (2025).
Have any thoughts, comments, or questions that you'd like to share? Please email us anytime!
Daniel
Endurance Athlete, Coach, and Saturday Customer Support.