The Physiology of Endurance Running Podcast A deep dive on carbohydrate research, with TdF nutritionist Dr Tim Podlogar
Aug 20, 2025
Dr. Tim Podlogar, a leading carbohydrate researcher and performance nutritionist for WorldTour cycling teams, shares intriguing insights on carbohydrate intake for athletes. He discusses how body size influences carbohydrate oxidation, revealing that larger athletes may oxidize more carbs during exercise. Tim emphasizes the importance of personalized testing for carbohydrate needs and explains trade-offs between immediate performance and multi-day recovery. He also explores the benefits of combining carbs with protein for optimal recovery, making this episode a must-listen for endurance athletes!
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Body Size Partly Predicts Carb Oxidation
- Larger athletes tend to oxidize more ingested carbohydrate during exercise than smaller athletes on average.
- Body size explains part of the variation but substantial individual differences remain.
Training & Diet Shape Carb Uptake
- Training status and habitual carbohydrate exposure likely influence exogenous carbohydrate oxidation capacity.
- People on low-carb diets or with less carbohydrate exposure may oxidize less than regularly high-carb athletes.
Tolerance ≠ Absorption
- Tolerance (gut comfort) and absorption (oxidation) are separate: someone can absorb a lot yet feel unwell, or feel fine but absorb little.
- Training the gut increases tolerance but doesn't guarantee higher oxidation rates.