The Effects of Carbohydrates in Half-Ironman and Full-Ironman Triathletes Habitually Consuming a High Carbohydrate Diet
Purpose
This study will look at how different amounts of carbohydrates—10g, 60g, or 90g per hour—affect the energy and performance of male triathletes during long bike rides. By using endurance tests and a simple breath test, we will track a specific type of carbon (13C) found in cycling drinks to see how the body burns fuel while exercising.
Ultimately, the goal is to create clear, science-based rules to help athletes know exactly how much they should drink during cycling to perform their best during training and races.
This study includes one familiarization where we measure your aerobic fitness, and 4 experimental visits where we test various carbohydrate solutions (0, 10, 60, 90g per hour) during cycling time-to-exhaustion and then a 20-km time-trial.
Could this study be right for you?
- Healthy men aged 18-50
- Have completed a half-Ironman in under 6 hours or a full Ironman in under 13 hours,
- Cycle >100 miles per week,
- Have 2+ years of consistent triathlon training