Do athletes need to cut sugar? The strategic truth about performance nutrition

October 16, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, carbohydrate intake is vital for fueling exercise, and simple sugars can serve as a key component for athletes during high-intensity and prolonged activities. So, do athletes need to cut sugar? The answer is nuanced, focusing on timing and moderation rather than complete elimination for optimal performance and health.

Quick Summary

An athlete's relationship with sugar is a strategic one, not a matter of elimination. For peak performance, the timing of carbohydrate intake is critical, with sugar providing a rapid energy source before, during, and after intense training. Excessive consumption when sedentary, however, should be limited.

Key Points

Sugar is Not the Enemy: For athletes, sugar is a vital and effective energy source, not a food group to be entirely eliminated.
Timing is Everything: The benefits of sugar are maximized when consumed strategically around intense training sessions—before, during, and immediately after.
Distinguish Sugar Types: Focus on getting natural sugars from nutrient-dense whole foods during inactive periods, while using targeted added sugars for workout fuel and recovery.
Minimize Sedentary Added Sugar: Habitual, high intake of added sugars when sedentary contributes to health risks like inflammation and insulin resistance.
Individual Needs Vary: An athlete's specific sugar requirements depend on their training intensity, duration, and individual metabolism.
Fueling vs. Indulgence: View sugar as a performance tool rather than a constant treat to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.

The Science Behind Sugar for Athletes

For athletes, carbohydrates are essential for fueling exercise, particularly high-intensity activity. All digestible carbohydrates are converted to glucose, which powers muscles or is stored as glycogen. Simple sugars provide quick energy due to rapid digestion, making them valuable during specific training phases.

While sedentary individuals are typically advised to limit simple sugars, athletes' bodies utilize glucose differently during exercise. Muscles can absorb blood glucose without an insulin spike, and athletes have increased insulin sensitivity, efficiently using glucose and replenishing glycogen stores.

Strategic Timing: When Sugar is Your Friend

Strategic timing around training is crucial for athletes utilizing simple sugars to enhance performance and recovery.

Pre-Workout Fueling

Consuming simple sugars 30-60 minutes before prolonged or intense workouts helps provide readily available energy, conserving muscle glycogen and reducing fatigue. Good options include fruit, juice, or carbohydrate-rich sports products.

Intra-Workout Sustenance

For exercise exceeding 60-90 minutes, simple sugar intake is vital to maintain energy and prevent fatigue. Sports drinks, gels, and gummies offer easily digestible carbs for muscle fuel. Combining sugars like glucose and fructose can enhance absorption.

Post-Workout Recovery

Following strenuous exercise, the body is highly efficient at absorbing glucose to replenish glycogen stores. Fast-digesting carbohydrates, often with protein, consumed within 30-60 minutes post-workout support muscle recovery. Chocolate milk is a popular choice.

The Pitfalls of Excessive Sedentary Sugar

While strategic sugar use is beneficial, excessive added sugar consumption during inactive periods poses significant health risks for athletes. High sedentary sugar intake can contribute to insulin resistance, inflammation, fatty liver disease, and oxidative stress, potentially impacting athletic health and longevity. Excessive sugar when sedentary can cause energy crashes and sluggishness, negatively affecting energy levels, sleep, and recovery. Sugary processed foods are often high in calories but low in nutrients, displacing essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber from the diet.

Strategic vs. Habitual Sugar Consumption

The table below highlights the key differences in how athletes should approach sugar intake:


Aspect	Strategic (Performance-Driven) Intake	Habitual (Sedentary) Intake
Timing	Before, during, and immediately after intense or prolonged exercise (>60 min)	Throughout the day, often during inactive periods (e.g., at a desk, before bed)
Primary Purpose	To provide rapid energy for working muscles, sustain performance, and speed up glycogen recovery	To satisfy cravings, often serves as a primary source of pleasure rather than functional fuel
Source Focus	Fast-digesting carbs like sports drinks, gels, gummies, chocolate milk; sometimes less-processed options like fruit or honey	Sugary drinks, candies, baked goods, and ultra-processed snacks containing high amounts of added sugar
Metabolic Response	Used immediately by muscles for fuel with minimal insulin response; efficient glycogen replenishment	Triggers a large insulin response; promotes fat storage and can lead to insulin resistance and energy crashes
Impact on Performance	Enhances endurance, improves power output, delays fatigue, and speeds recovery	Causes energy crashes, fatigue, poor sleep, and can increase systemic inflammation
Overall Health	When balanced with a whole-foods diet, it supports peak physical performance without major health concerns	Increases risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular issues over time

Making Smart Sugar Choices

Athletes should prioritize nutrient-dense sugar sources and reserve fast-acting sugars for specific training times. Healthy whole food sources with natural sugar include fruits, dairy products, and starchy vegetables, providing fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Processed sources of added sugar to minimize (outside of training) include sugar-sweetened beverages, packaged snacks, baked goods, and many processed foods with hidden sugars.

Tailoring Your Approach

Individual sugar needs vary based on factors like training intensity and duration. Consulting a sports dietitian can help create a personalized plan. The goal is strategic sugar use, not habitual consumption.

Conclusion: The Balanced Approach to Sugar

The idea that athletes should completely cut sugar is inaccurate. Strategic sugar intake is a necessary tool for fueling high-intensity and prolonged performance. Successful athletes understand when and how to use fast-acting carbohydrates around training while moderating added sugars during inactive periods. Prioritizing nutrient-dense foods and using targeted sugar intake for performance and recovery supports both peak fitness and long-term health.

For additional information on carbohydrate and sugar use in athletic performance, resources from organizations like {Link: USA Lacrosse https://www.usalacrosse.com/news-media-blog/nutrition-4-ways-athletes-can-use-sugar-yes-sugar-fuel} can be helpful.

The provided external link is for informational purposes and may not be updated regularly. It's recommended to consult a qualified sports nutrition professional for personalized advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Simple sugars are quickly absorbed by the body and converted into glucose, providing a rapid source of energy for muscles during intense or prolonged exercise when glycogen stores are being depleted.

Yes, a sugar crash (hypoglycemia) can occur if large amounts of simple sugar are consumed when sedentary, leading to a quick insulin spike and subsequent energy drop. However, this is less likely to happen during intense exercise, when muscles are efficiently using glucose.

During exercise, muscles absorb glucose from the blood independently of insulin, allowing for highly efficient energy use. Regular training also increases insulin sensitivity, meaning athletes' bodies are more adept at managing glucose than sedentary individuals.

Natural sugars are found in whole foods like fruits and milk, which also contain beneficial fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Added sugars are found in processed foods and drinks, offering little nutritional value. Athletes should prioritize natural sources for general health and save targeted added sugars for performance-specific windows.

For prolonged exercise over 60-90 minutes, current guidelines suggest consuming 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour, potentially increasing to 90-120 grams per hour for endurance athletes using a combination of glucose and fructose sources.

Yes, moderation is key for a healthy relationship with food. Occasional treats are part of a balanced diet. The focus should be on making smart choices and minimizing habitual, sedentary consumption of added sugars, not on complete restriction.

Habitual overconsumption of added sugar when inactive can lead to increased inflammation, insulin resistance, weight gain, and dental health problems, all of which can compromise athletic performance and long-term health.