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Why do you need carbohydrate during exercise?
Muscle glycogen (stored carbohydrate) is limited and begins to deplete after 60–90 minutes of intense endurance exercise. Beyond this point, taking in carbohydrate from an external source maintains blood sugar, delays fatigue and clearly supports performance. The need is duration-dependent: it is not required for short sessions, and the hourly amount rises as the session gets longer. In very long sessions (over 2.5 hours), a single type of sugar reaches its absorption limit; that is why a glucose + fructose (2:1) mix allows more carbohydrate to be absorbed via two separate transporters.
How are the needs determined?
International endurance-nutrition guidelines (e.g. ACSM and Jeukendrup) recommend hourly carbohydrate by exercise duration as follows:
45–75 min ....... mouth rinse or small amount
1–2.5 hours ..... 30–60 g/hour
>2.5 hours ...... 90 g/hour (2:1 glucose-fructose)
Example: On a 3-hour bike ride, the target is ~90 g/hour; this can be met with roughly two to three gels or sports drinks per hour, and a 2:1 glucose-fructose mix is preferred for absorption. On a short 40-minute run, however, no extra carbohydrate is needed.
Source: Carbohydrate guidelines for endurance exercise — ACSM position stand on nutrition and athletic performance; Jeukendrup AE, research on carbohydrate intake during exercise and multiple-transportable carbohydrates (2:1 glucose-fructose). Values are for moderate-to-high intensity continuous exercise.
Exercise nutrition tips
- Train your gut: Tolerating high carbohydrate loads (60–90 g) develops with practice; don't try a new product on race day.
- Start early: Take it in at regular intervals from the first hour, before you are fully depleted.
- Together with fluid: Take gels and powders with enough water; concentrated sugar can cause stomach upset.
- 2:1 mix at higher doses: Above 60 g, a glucose-fructose mix is absorbed better than a single sugar and causes less stomach trouble.
- Not needed for short exercise: In sessions under 1 hour, extra carbohydrate does not improve performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
General rule: in moderate-to-high intensity sessions lasting over 1 hour. At 45–75 minutes, a small amount or a mouth rinse may be enough; aim for 30–60 g/hour at 1–2.5 hours, and 90 g/hour beyond 2.5 hours.
With a single type of sugar (glucose), absorption is limited to ~60 g/hour. A glucose-fructose (2:1) mix uses two separate transporters, so it allows absorption of up to ~90 g/hour.
It is a ratio of two parts glucose to one part fructose. Because it uses different gut transporters, it lets more carbohydrate be absorbed without stomach trouble than a single sugar; it is recommended for long/intense sessions.
Usually no. In short sessions, muscle glycogen is sufficient; extra carbohydrate does not improve performance. At 45–75 minutes, a mouth rinse or small amount can be tried for a performance edge.
Easily digested sources such as a sports drink, carbohydrate powder, banana, dried fruit or Turkish delight can be used. What matters is reaching your target in grams and taking it with enough fluid.
Intake well above your needs and beyond your tolerance leads to gastrointestinal problems (bloating, diarrhea) and reduces performance. "More is always better" is not true; increase gradually according to your gut tolerance.