Nutrition for Ultramarathon Running: Trail, Track, and Road
Open accessAbstract
Ultramarathon running events and participation numbers have increased progressively over the past three decades. Besides the exertion of prolonged running with or without a loaded pack, such events are often associated with challenging topography, environmental conditions, acute transient lifestyle discomforts, and/or event-related health complications. These factors create a scenario for greater nutritional needs, while predisposing ultramarathon runners to multiple nutritional intake barriers. The current review aims to explore the physiological and nutritional demands of ultramarathon running and provide general guidance on nutritional requirements for ultramarathon training and competition, including aspects of race nutrition logistics. Research outcomes suggest that daily dietary carbohydrates (up to 12 g·kg −1 ·day −1 ) and multiple-transportable carbohydrate intake (∼90 g·hr −1 for running distances ≥3 hr) during exercise support endurance training adaptations and enhance real-time endurance performance. Whether these intake rates are tolerable during ultramarathon competition is questionable from a practical and gastrointestinal perspective. Dietary protocols, such as glycogen manipulation or low-carbohydrate high-fat diets, are currently popular among ultramarathon runners. Despite the latter dietary manipulation showing increased total fat oxidation rates during submaximal exercise, the role in enhancing ultramarathon running performance is currently not supported. Ultramarathon runners may develop varying degrees of both hypohydration and hyperhydration (with accompanying exercise-associated hyponatremia), dependent on event duration, and environmental conditions. To avoid these two extremes, euhydration can generally be maintained through “drinking to thirst.” A well practiced and individualized nutrition strategy is required to optimize training and competition performance in ultramarathon running events, whether they are single stage or multistage.
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The calories consumed by some ultra-endurance athletes is reported to be between 36 and 53% of their racing energy expenditure.
“the calories consumed by some ultra-endurance athletes is reported to be between 36 and 53% of their racing energy expenditure [13, 15–17].”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: nutritional considerations for single-stage ultra-marathon training and racing (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
Drinking-to-thirst is considered the most appropriate method of minimizing the risk of hypo- or hyper-hydration during ultra-marathon.
“Moreover, this strategy is considered the most appropriate method of minimizing the risk of hypo- or hyper-hydration during ultra-marathon [16].”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: nutritional considerations for single-stage ultra-marathon training and racing (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
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References 87 · Cited by 118
Research works printed but not linked: 4
- Alcock, R., McCubbin, A., Camões-Costa, V., & Costa, R.J.S. (2018). CASE STUDY. Nutritional support for self-sufficient multi-stage ultra-marathon: Rationed versus full energy provisions. Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, In press.
- Britton, R., Dempster, S., Moore, J.P., & Costa, R.J.S. (2011). The use of triaxial accelerometry to support dietary intervention during a multi-stage mountain ultra- marathon: A case study approach. Journal of Sport Science, 29(Suppl 2), S132.
- Rauch, C.E., Khoo, A.Y., Miall, A., Snipe, R.M.J., & Costa, R.J.S. (2018). Non-protein oxidation rates of ultramarathon runners in response to incremental intensity and prolonged strenuous running. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, In press.
- Snipe, R.M.J., Khoo, A., Kitic, C., Gibson, P., & Costa, R.J.S. (2018). Heat stress during prolonged running results in exacerbated intestinal epithelial injury and gastrointestinal symptoms. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 118(2), 389-400.
- Authors
- Costa, R. J. S., Knechtle, B., Tarnopolsky, M., & Hoffman, M. D.
- Affiliations
- University of Zurich (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Costa, Ricardo J.S.
- Venue
- International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
- Publisher
- Human Kinetics
- Published
- 2019-03-01
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 130-140
- ISSN
- 1526-484X (ISSN-L)
- 1543-2742
- OpenAlex
- W2929008871
- Cited by
- 118
- References
- 87
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 1 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 1.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- Monash University Research Portal (Monash University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Monash University
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Thermoregulation and physiological responses
- Keywords
- ultramarathon, carbohydrate intake, endurance performance, low-carbohydrate high-fat diet, fat oxidation, exercise-associated hyponatremia, hydration, endurance training adaptation, trail running, road running
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Dietary Carbohydrates, Drinking, Humans, Nutritional Requirements, Physical Endurance, Running, Athletic Performance, Athletes, Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
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