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Research article
Fluctuations in Food and Fluid Intake During a 24-h World Championship: Analysis of the Deviation From Nutritional Programs
Keyne CHARLOT
Institut de recherche biomedicale des armees
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4366-4013
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background
A food and fluid intake program is essential for ultra-endurance athletes to maximize performance and avoid possible gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS). However, the ability to respect such a program during a race has been under-assessed. We thus investigated the kinetics of food and fluid intake during the 24-h run World Championship of 12 elite athletes (6 men and 6 women; age: 46 ± 7 years, height: 170 ± 9 cm, weight: 61.1 ± 9.6 kg, total distance run: 193–272 km) and assessed their ability to follow their nutritional program.
Methods
Real-time overall intake (fluids, energy, and macronutrients) were recorded and compared to that of their program. The temporal difference in absolute values and degree of divergence from their program were assessed divided into four 6-h periods. GIS were recorded during the race. A questionnaire identifying the details of their nutritional program and the self-assessed causes of their inability to follow it was completed by the participants.
Results
Water, total fluid, carbohydrate (CHO), and energy intake decreased during the last quarter of the 24-h ultramarathon relative to the first half (p < 0.031). However, the differences were no longer significant after these values were normalized by the number of passages in front of the supply tent. The participants increasingly diverged from their nutritional program (dropping to approximately 50% of their expected fluid, CHO, and energy intake during the last quarter) but this was adequately compensated with unplanned foods to match their expected targets. GIS, lack of appeal of the planned items, and attractivity of unplanned items were the main explanations given for their deviation from the program (64, 27, and 27%, respectively).
Conclusion
Despite evident difficulty in respecting their nutritional programs (mostly attributed to GIS), elite ultra-endurance runners managed to maintain high rates of fluid and food intake during a 24-h ultramarathon and therefore still met their planned elevated nutritional objectives.
Keywords
ultramarathon, real-time, nutrition, hydration
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This preprint is under consideration at Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Fluctuations in Food and Fluid Intake During a 24-h World Championship: Analysis of the Deviation From Nutritional Programs
Keyne CHARLOT
Institut de recherche biomedicale des armees
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4366-4013
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 18 Jan, 2021
No community comments so far
Editor assigned
On 11 Jan, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 11 Jan, 2021
Editor invited
On 11 Jan, 2021
First submitted
On 10 Jan, 2021
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Nutrition & Dietetics
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background
A food and fluid intake program is essential for ultra-endurance athletes to maximize performance and avoid possible gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS). However, the ability to respect such a program during a race has been under-assessed. We thus investigated the kinetics of food and fluid intake during the 24-h run World Championship of 12 elite athletes (6 men and 6 women; age: 46 ± 7 years, height: 170 ± 9 cm, weight: 61.1 ± 9.6 kg, total distance run: 193–272 km) and assessed their ability to follow their nutritional program.
Methods
Real-time overall intake (fluids, energy, and macronutrients) were recorded and compared to that of their program. The temporal difference in absolute values and degree of divergence from their program were assessed divided into four 6-h periods. GIS were recorded during the race. A questionnaire identifying the details of their nutritional program and the self-assessed causes of their inability to follow it was completed by the participants.
Results
Water, total fluid, carbohydrate (CHO), and energy intake decreased during the last quarter of the 24-h ultramarathon relative to the first half (p < 0.031). However, the differences were no longer significant after these values were normalized by the number of passages in front of the supply tent. The participants increasingly diverged from their nutritional program (dropping to approximately 50% of their expected fluid, CHO, and energy intake during the last quarter) but this was adequately compensated with unplanned foods to match their expected targets. GIS, lack of appeal of the planned items, and attractivity of unplanned items were the main explanations given for their deviation from the program (64, 27, and 27%, respectively).
Conclusion
Despite evident difficulty in respecting their nutritional programs (mostly attributed to GIS), elite ultra-endurance runners managed to maintain high rates of fluid and food intake during a 24-h ultramarathon and therefore still met their planned elevated nutritional objectives.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5