Effect of a training camp in the heat on nutritional intake of well-trained endurance athletes
Study Details
This study examined how an 8-day training camp in hot conditions affected energy intake, macronutrient intake and hunger in 22 well-trained endurance athletes 🔍
Fourteen athletes completed matched training periods in temperate conditions (10°C, 58% humidity) and then hot conditions (30°C, 74% humidity) 🏃
A control group of 8 athletes completed both periods in the same temperate environment ↔️
Key Findings
🔥 During the heat camp, daily energy intake increased by ~24%
🍞 Carbohydrate intake increased by ~36%, representing the largest macronutrient change
🥩 Protein intake also increased by ~28%
🍳 Breakfast was the main point of adjustment: energy intake rose by ~90%, carbohydrate by ~107% and protein by ~70%
🌙 Protein intake was also higher at dinner during the hot-weather camp
🥤 Energy, carbohydrate and protein consumed during training sessions all increased significantly in the heat
😋 Athletes reported greater hunger before breakfast, which may partly explain why this meal accounted for much of the additional intake
↔️ None of these measures changed between training periods in the control group
⚠️ The sample was small, the heat group completed the conditions in a fixed order, and the study measured food intake rather than energy balance, recovery or performance
Conclusion
For endurance athletes attending hot-weather training camps, breakfast and during-session fuelling may become particularly important opportunities to increase energy, carbohydrate and protein intake to support the combined training and environmental demands ✅
Reference
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2026.2754629?scroll=top&needAccess=true
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