Which Athletes Need Carbohydrates for Peak Performance?

November 29, 2025 •

4 min read

According to sports nutrition experts, carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for high-intensity exercise and are stored as glycogen in muscles and the liver. This means nearly all athletes who train at moderate to high intensity need carbohydrates to fuel performance, prevent fatigue, and aid in recovery.

Quick Summary

This article explores the critical role of carbohydrates for different types of athletes. It details specific carbohydrate needs for endurance, strength, and team sports, covering pre-, during-, and post-workout intake strategies for optimal energy, performance, and recovery.

Key Points

Endurance athletes have the highest needs: Marathon runners, cyclists, and triathletes require significant carbohydrate intake (6-10g/kg body weight daily) to fuel prolonged efforts and prevent glycogen depletion.
Carbohydrates fuel high-intensity activities: For strength and power athletes, carbs provide the necessary fuel for anaerobic, explosive movements like weightlifting and sprinting.
Strategic timing is crucial: All athletes benefit from consuming carbohydrates strategically before, during (for longer efforts), and after exercise to optimize performance and recovery.
Team sports require constant energy: Due to the intermittent nature of sports like soccer and basketball, athletes need a consistent supply of carbohydrates to maintain performance levels throughout a game.
Carbs prevent muscle breakdown: Sufficient carbohydrate intake ensures protein is used for muscle repair and building, rather than being converted to energy, which happens when glycogen stores are low.
Recovery is accelerated with carbs: The combination of carbohydrates and protein after a workout helps to rapidly replenish muscle glycogen stores and aids in muscle repair.
Train your gut to tolerate carbs: Athletes can improve their digestive system's ability to handle high carbohydrate loads during exercise by practicing their fueling strategy during training.

The Foundational Role of Carbohydrates for Athletic Performance

Carbohydrates are a fundamental macronutrient for any athlete's diet, providing the body with its most efficient and readily available energy source. When consumed, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which is either used immediately for energy or stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. These glycogen stores are the main fuel reservoir, particularly during moderate to high-intensity exercise. Without sufficient carbohydrate intake, an athlete's glycogen stores can become depleted, leading to fatigue and a significant drop in performance, a phenomenon known as "hitting the wall".

Carbohydrate Needs for Endurance Athletes

Endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, cyclists, and triathletes, have the highest carbohydrate requirements. Their training sessions are typically long and intense, rapidly depleting glycogen stores. To maintain performance, prevent fatigue, and ensure proper recovery, a strategic approach to carbohydrate intake is essential.

Daily Intake: Daily carbohydrate recommendations for endurance athletes range from 6 to 10 grams per kilogram of body weight, with the higher end reserved for periods of intense training or competition. For an athlete weighing 70kg, this could mean consuming between 420g and 700g of carbohydrates daily.
Pre-Event Fueling: To maximize muscle glycogen stores before a prolonged event (>90 minutes), athletes often engage in carbohydrate loading. A common strategy involves increasing carbohydrate intake to 10-12g per kilogram of body weight for 36-48 hours before the event, combined with reduced training. A final carbohydrate-rich meal should be consumed 3-4 hours before the event.
During Exercise: For exercise lasting over an hour, consuming carbohydrates during the activity is crucial to maintain blood glucose levels. Recommendations range from 30-60 grams per hour for activities of 1-2.5 hours, increasing to 60-90 grams per hour for ultra-endurance events lasting over 2.5 hours. Combining multiple carbohydrate sources like glucose and fructose can improve absorption and reduce gastrointestinal issues.

Carbohydrate Requirements for Strength and Power Athletes

While often associated with high protein intake, strength and power athletes also need carbohydrates to fuel high-intensity, short-duration activities like weightlifting and sprinting. Carbohydrates provide the anaerobic fuel necessary for explosive movements and resistance training.

Daily Intake: Strength and power athletes typically require less daily carbohydrate than endurance athletes, but intake is still vital for performance and recovery. A range of 3-5 grams per kilogram of body weight is often sufficient for fueling daily training. This supports intense lifting sessions without unnecessary excess.
Pre-Workout Fuel: Consuming carbohydrates 1-4 hours before a strength training session helps ensure muscles have the necessary fuel for high-intensity sets and reps. A lack of pre-workout carbs can result in decreased force production and early fatigue.
Recovery: Post-workout carbohydrates are important for strength athletes to replenish muscle glycogen and initiate muscle protein synthesis. Consuming carbohydrates with protein (in a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio) immediately post-exercise can accelerate recovery and muscle repair.

How Team Sport Athletes Utilize Carbohydrates

Team sports like soccer, basketball, and hockey are a mix of short, high-intensity sprints and longer periods of moderate-intensity activity. This intermittent nature of play requires a constant supply of energy, making carbohydrates a critical component of their diet.

Daily Intake: Due to the unpredictable and varied intensity of their sport, team sport athletes have carbohydrate needs that often fall between those of strength and endurance athletes. Recommendations can be from 5-8g/kg/day, depending on the training volume.
Game Day Fueling: Pre-game meals high in carbohydrates ensure ample glycogen stores for the demanding pace of the match. Carbohydrate drinks or gels can be consumed during gameplay to maintain energy levels, particularly during longer matches or tournaments.
Recovery: Team sport athletes benefit from a post-game combination of carbohydrates and protein to refuel and recover quickly for the next practice or competition.

Comparison of Carbohydrate Needs by Athletic Type


Athletic Type	Daily Carb Intake (g/kg body weight)	Pre-Exercise Strategy	During Exercise Strategy	Post-Exercise Strategy
Endurance	6-10 (up to 12 for very high volume)	Carb-load (10-12 g/kg) 36-48 hrs prior; Meal 3-4 hrs before	30-90 g/hr depending on duration (>60 mins)	1.0-1.2 g/kg within 4 hrs after
Strength & Power	3-5	Meal 1-4 hrs before; focus on easily digestible carbs	Not typically necessary for standard sessions (<60 mins)	Carbs with protein (3:1 ratio) within 30 mins
Team Sports	5-8	High-carb meal 3-4 hrs pre-game; snack 1-2 hrs before	30-60 g/hr for longer games (>60 mins)	Carbs with protein (3:1 ratio) within 30 mins

Optimizing Carbohydrate Intake

To ensure athletes meet their carbohydrate needs effectively, strategic planning is essential. This includes understanding the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates and how to time their consumption. Whole-grain carbohydrates (complex) should form the basis of the daily diet, providing sustained energy, while fast-acting (simple) carbohydrates from sports gels or drinks are best for rapid energy during intense, prolonged exercise.

Athletes should also train their gut to handle carbohydrate intake during exercise. Practicing nutrition strategies during training sessions helps the digestive system adapt to higher carb intakes, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort during competition. Ultimately, individual tolerance and response are key, so personal experimentation with different types and timings of carbohydrates is recommended.

Conclusion

From endurance athletes to strength competitors and team players, the need for carbohydrates is universal for anyone engaged in regular, moderate-to-high-intensity exercise. While the specific timing and amounts differ based on the sport and training volume, the core principle remains constant: carbohydrates are the essential fuel source for peak performance, sustained energy, and effective recovery. By strategically managing their intake, athletes can optimize their glycogen stores and achieve their full athletic potential.

For more in-depth scientific literature on sports nutrition, refer to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) journal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Glycogen is the stored form of glucose, which comes from carbohydrates. It is primarily stored in the muscles and liver and acts as the body's main energy reserve during exercise. Maintaining high glycogen levels is crucial for sustaining high-intensity activity and delaying fatigue.

Strength and power athletes typically need 3-5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day. This provides the energy for anaerobic efforts like weightlifting and supports recovery without requiring the extremely high intake levels of endurance athletes.

Carbohydrate timing depends on the type and duration of exercise. Athletes should consume carbs in the hours leading up to an event, potentially during prolonged exercise (>60 minutes), and within the 30-minute post-exercise window to maximize recovery.

Both have a place in an athlete's diet. Complex carbohydrates from whole grains, legumes, and vegetables should form the basis of daily intake for sustained energy. Simple carbohydrates from sports gels, fruits, or drinks are best for a quick energy boost during intense or prolonged exercise and for rapid post-workout recovery.

While some athletes train with low carbohydrate availability to enhance metabolic flexibility, this strategy can compromise high-intensity performance and may impair strength and speed. High-intensity exercise heavily relies on carbohydrates, and performance will suffer significantly without adequate glycogen stores.

Carbohydrate loading is a strategy used by endurance athletes to maximize muscle glycogen stores before a prolonged event. It typically involves a short period of reduced training combined with a very high carbohydrate intake (10-12 g/kg of body weight) in the 36-48 hours before the competition.

After intense exercise, muscle glycogen stores are depleted and the body is primed for replenishment. Consuming carbohydrates soon after a workout helps restore these energy reserves, speeding up recovery for the next training session.