Debunking Noakes: Why 10 Grams of Carbs Per Hour Isn't Enough

A new review paper by Tim Noakes has reignited the debate around carbohydrates, fatigue, and endurance performance. The paper proposes that maintaining blood glucose during exercise may be more important than maximizing glycogen stores, and that relatively small carbohydrate intakes could be sufficient to support performance.After reviewing the arguments and the studies cited, we see several limitations in how the evidence is interpreted and how the conclusions are applied to real-world endurance sport. While the importance of blood glucose regulation is well established, performance in training and racing is influenced by multiple factors, including intensity, variability of effort, total energy demands, and recovery, making the picture more complex than a single mechanism can explain.Science progresses through debate and critical analysis, and our aim is to examine these ideas in context and compare them with the broader body of research and practical experience in endurance athletes.Study discussed:https://academic.oup.com/edrv/advance-article/doi/10.1210/endrev/bnaf038/8432248