Hi Saturday Morning Fan,
This week, we are looking at a recent study on carbohydrate intake during prolonged exercise. The researchers compared consuming 0, 60, or 120g/h of carbohydrate during 3h of moderate-intensity cycling and then measured how well athletes maintained their ability to produce power.
The key question was: does increasing carbohydrate intake beyond 60g/h help athletes stay stronger late in a long session?
Why this matters
One of the biggest challenges in endurance performance is durability, the ability to maintain power and pace as fatigue accumulates.
Even when athletes start well fueled, several hours of exercise gradually reduce the power they can sustain. Consuming carbohydrate during exercise is one of the main strategies to slow this decline and maintain performance.
Key findings from the study
The main conclusions of the paper can be summarized as follows:
Higher carbohydrate intake helped athletes maintain critical power after 3h of cycling.
The benefit followed a dose-response pattern, with 120g/h outperforming 60g/h, and both outperforming water alone.
Higher carbohydrate intake increased carbohydrate oxidation, providing more available fuel during exercise.
The ability to perform short, high-intensity efforts above critical power was not improved by the higher carbohydrate intake.
GI symptoms remained generally low, although athletes reported slightly greater feelings of fullness when consuming 120g/h.
What does this mean for you?
First, this study suggests that consuming more carbohydrate during long endurance sessions may help reduce fatigue and maintain performance later in the event.
Second, this does not mean every athlete should immediately aim for 120g/h. The participants were well trained, started exercise with full glycogen stores, and consumed a glucose-fructose mixture specifically designed for high carbohydrate delivery.
Finally, use Saturday to individualize your fueling strategy. Many athletes perform extremely well at 60-90g/h, while others may benefit from higher intakes. The goal is to find the highest intake that improves performance while remaining comfortable.
The bottom line
This study adds to the growing evidence that higher carbohydrate intake can improve endurance performance by helping athletes maintain power as fatigue develops. However, more is not automatically better. The best fueling strategy is one that is evidence-based, individualized, and practiced before race day.
Reference
Norte BR, Slinn MM, Johnson KO, et al. Graded carbohydrate ingestion up to 120g/h attenuates the reduction in critical power following 3h of moderate-intensity exercise in a dose-dependent manner. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2026.
