Do you need more sugar if you're active?

October 22, 2025 •

3 min read

When engaging in intense exercise for longer than 90 minutes, muscle glycogen stores can become significantly depleted. This raises a common question: do you need more sugar if you're active? The answer depends on the intensity and duration of activity.

Quick Summary

Active individuals often require carbohydrates for energy. However, the necessity of sugar depends on workout intensity and duration. Strategic timing, rather than constant consumption, is critical.

Key Points

Timing is Key: Consume extra simple sugar only before, during, or immediately after intense or prolonged workouts.
Intensity Matters: Higher intensity and longer duration exercise deplete glycogen stores faster, increasing the need for supplemental fast-acting carbohydrates.
Complex Carbs for Daily Fuel: Base your regular diet on nutrient-dense complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables for sustained energy.
Dual-Fuel Approach: Combine glucose and fructose for endurance activities lasting over 90 minutes to maximize carbohydrate absorption and prevent gut distress.
Post-Workout Recovery: A combination of simple carbohydrates and protein within an hour of a workout replenishes glycogen and aids muscle repair.
Beware of Excess: Overconsumption of added sugars outside of ideal timing can lead to health consequences, even for active people.

Understanding Carbohydrate's Role

Carbohydrates provide the body with its primary energy source for physical activity. The body converts carbohydrates into glucose, which is then used for immediate energy or stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. During exercise, the body uses these glycogen reserves, especially during high-intensity activities. The glycogen stores of an average person can sustain moderate-to-high intensity activity for about 90 minutes. After this, performance can decline as these stores deplete. This is where the strategic use of sugar becomes important for active individuals.

When Strategic Sugar Intake Is Beneficial

Strategic sugar intake, when timed correctly, can boost performance for those engaged in longer, more strenuous workouts. This does not mean eating candy constantly. It means giving the body a fast energy source when it's needed most.

During Endurance Activities

For activities lasting more than an hour, consuming carbohydrates during the workout is recommended to replenish blood glucose levels and delay fatigue. Guidelines suggest 30 to 60 grams of simple carbohydrates per hour for activities lasting 1-2.5 hours. For ultra-endurance events, intakes can increase to 90 grams or more per hour, often requiring a combination of glucose and fructose for maximum absorption. Sources include sports drinks, gels, chews, or easily digestible foods like bananas or dried fruit.

For Fast Glycogen Replenishment

After an intense or prolonged workout, especially if another session is scheduled within 24 hours, quick glycogen replenishment is crucial for recovery. Consuming a source of fast-acting sugar with protein within 30-60 minutes after exercise can help start this process. The sugar helps spike insulin, which drives glucose into the muscle cells to restore depleted glycogen stores rapidly.

Before High-Intensity Training

For high-intensity efforts, a small, easily digestible carbohydrate snack 30-60 minutes before can top off energy levels without causing digestive issues. This ensures muscles have immediate fuel for peak performance, without the slower digestion process of complex carbs.

The Drawbacks of Unstrategic Sugar

While strategic sugar use has its place, excessive and untimed intake of added sugars poses risks, even for very active people. Chronic high consumption of refined sugars, particularly outside of workouts, provides empty calories that can contribute to weight gain, inflammation, and insulin resistance. An active person's body is more insulin-sensitive, but this benefit can be negated by constant high sugar exposure, leading to negative health outcomes.

Simple vs. Complex Carbs for Active Individuals


Feature	Simple Carbohydrates (Sugars)	Complex Carbohydrates (Starches)
Energy Release	Rapid	Slow
Best For	Fueling during long/intense workouts, post-workout recovery	Daily energy, meals, low-to-moderate intensity exercise
Primary Source	Fruits, sports drinks, gels, honey, candy	Whole grains, vegetables, legumes, potatoes
Fiber Content	Low	High
Typical Timing	Immediately before, during, or right after exercise	Most meals, general daily intake
Effect on Blood Sugar	Rapid spike	Gradual rise

Tips for Active Individuals

Focus on Whole Foods: Most of the daily carbohydrate intake should come from nutrient-dense, complex carbs such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. These provide sustained energy and essential nutrients.
Strategically Time Sugar Intake: Reserve faster-acting simple sugars for before, during, or immediately after intense or long-duration exercise when the body can use them most efficiently.
Monitor Overall Intake: Even as an active person, monitor consumption of added sugars. High intake of sugary drinks and processed snacks outside of workout fueling can still be detrimental to health.
Listen to Your Body: Every person's metabolic profile and activity needs differ. Experiment with different carbohydrate types and timings to find what works best for personal energy levels and digestive comfort.

Conclusion

The need for more sugar when active depends on context. For short, moderate-intensity workouts (<60 minutes), the body's existing glycogen stores are sufficient, and there is no need for extra sugar. However, for prolonged endurance exercise or intense sessions, the strategic use of fast-acting simple carbohydrates is beneficial for maintaining performance and jump-starting recovery. Prioritizing nutrient-dense, complex carbs for the overall diet is key, while using sugar as a targeted tool to fuel and recover from specific, high-demand training sessions. Constant, unstrategic consumption of refined sugars should be avoided, even for active individuals.

For more information, consider exploring resources from the American College of Sports Medicine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, for workouts lasting over 60 minutes, consuming 30-60 grams of fast-acting sugar per hour can help maintain blood glucose levels, delay fatigue, and improve performance.

Simple carbohydrates in sports gels, chews, and drinks are rapidly absorbed. Natural sugars from fruit, like a banana, are also excellent fast-fuel options.

No. On rest days, focus on a balanced diet rich in complex carbs, protein, and healthy fats. Added sugar intake should be limited to the general health guidelines.

If timed correctly (30-60 minutes before an intense session), sugar can provide a rapid energy boost. A crash is more likely if sugar is consumed without exercise to utilize it, or if it's consumed too far in advance of the workout.

For optimal recovery, especially if another training session is coming soon, consume a combination of carbs and protein within 30-60 minutes after exercising.

No, the naturally occurring sugars in fruit are packaged with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Fruit is a healthy carbohydrate source, but moderation is still recommended for overall health.

Simple carbs are quickly digested for fast energy, while complex carbs, like starches and fiber, take longer to digest and provide a slower, more sustained release of energy.