International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolismSep 26, 2018

Diet and exercise methods to manage energy use during training and competition in endurance sports

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 28, 2026

Abstract

Manipulations of dietary fat and carbohydrate can significantly influence performance in endurance sports lasting over 30 minutes.

Different dietary strategies, such as low-carbohydrate high-fat diets and periodized carbohydrate diets, may impact fuel availability and exercise performance.
Terminology used to describe these dietary strategies often lacks consistency, leading to confusion among athletes and scientists.
There is ongoing debate among sports scientists regarding optimal fuel protocols for various endurance events.
A common set of definitions and explanations is proposed to enhance communication and collaboration in the field of sports nutrition.
Key questions remain to be addressed to further understand the effects of dietary manipulation on athletic performance.

Simplified

From the breakthrough studies of dietary carbohydrate and exercise capacity in the 1960s through to the more recent studies of cellular signaling and the adaptive response to exercise in muscle, it has become apparent that manipulations of dietary fat and carbohydrate within training phases, or in the immediate preparation for competition, can profoundly alter the availability and utilization of these major fuels and, subsequently, the performance of endurance sport (events >30 min up to ∼24 hr). A variety of terms have emerged to describe new or nuanced versions of such exercise-diet strategies (e.g., train low, train high, low-carbohydrate high-fat diet, periodized carbohydrate diet). However, the nonuniform meanings of these terms have caused confusion and miscommunication, both in the popular press and among the scientific community. Sports scientists will continue to hold different views on optimal protocols of fuel support for training and competition in different endurance events. However, to promote collaboration and shared discussions, a commonly accepted and consistent terminology will help to strengthen hypotheses and experimental/experiential data around various strategies. We propose a series of definitions and explanations as a starting point for a more unified dialogue around acute and chronic manipulations of fat and carbohydrate in the athlete's diet, noting philosophies of approaches rather than a single/definitive macronutrient prescription. We also summarize some of the key questions that need to be tackled to help produce greater insight into this exciting area of sports nutrition research and practice.

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Diet and exercise methods to manage energy use during training and competition in endurance sports

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