Ketogenic diets for endurance performance in trained athletes 🥑
Positive effects, impairments and practicalities.
Effects of Low-Carbohydrate and Ketogenic Diets on Aerobic Performance in Trained Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Study Details
This new meta-analysis compiled data from 33 studies (409 athletes) to establish the effects of…
1️⃣ Low carbohydrate (≤130 g/day or ≤25% total energy)
2️⃣ Ketogenic diet (<50 g/day or <10% total energy)
…on aerobic performance in trained athletes.
Here is what they found ⬇️
Key Findings
🫁 Maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) was preserved in 50% of studies, and improved in 11.1% of studies
⚠️ Submaximal exercise economy was most affected by these diets with 50% of studies showing impairments
⏰ Time to exhaustion was context-dependent, with 69.2% maintaining performance
🔥 All studies showed significant increases in fat oxidation (+28% to +200%)
A critical 7-day threshold for keto adaptation was observed…
⏱️ Studies with ≤ 7 days documented performance impairment
🗓️ Studies lasting > 1 week consistently demonstrated maintained or improved performance
Conclusion
Low carbohydrate and ketogenic diets result in significant shifts in metabolism to burning fat as the primary fuel source 🥑🔥
However, the performance outcomes are mixed compared to higher carbohydrate diets 🧐
Periods of adaptation (> 7 days) are required at a minimum to (hopefully) see maintenance or potential improvements in performance ✅
For higher intensity work, higher carbohydrate intake is likely still the superior approach 🍞
Reference
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/5/740
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