Nutrition for Ultraendurance Exercise

Ultraendurance typically refers to endurance exercise events or races that last longer than 4-6. h and may continue for several days of continuous exercise. One of the major physiological challenges involves the provision of energy, fuel, and hydration to allow the athlete to continue exercising. Observational data suggests that most of the ultraendurance athletes fail to match their energy expenditure through their dietary intake. The magnitude of the incurred energy deficit varies depending on the type and duration of the event between a few thousand and several tens of thousands of kilocalories. In agreement with current guidelines, carbohydrates are the predominant fuel source provided by ultraendurance athletes. Observed fluid intake rates range typically between 400 and 800. mL/h and are in agreement with current guidelines. However, there is conflicting evidence whether ultraendurance athletes are at an increased risk of becoming dehydrated over the course prolonged events in extreme conditions.