Athlete Carbohydrate Needs Calculator (Grams per Day by Training Load)

What this tool does

Sports nutrition guidelines no longer give one carbohydrate figure for every athlete but scale it to the training load. The best-known bands, from Burke and colleagues in 2011 and reflected in the later joint position of the American College of Sports Medicine and the dietitians' associations, run from 3–5 g per kg per day for light training up to 8–12 g per kg for four to five hours a day. Before an event lasting longer than about 90 minutes, 10–12 g per kg a day for the last 36–48 hours is the usual loading advice, with the training load tapered. These are starting points for healthy athletes, not a prescription; people with diabetes or other conditions need individual advice.

Formula

light 3–5 · moderate 5–7 · high 6–10 · very high 8–12 g of carbohydrate per kg per day · loading 10–12 g/kg for 36–48 h before a long event

Variables

Worked example

Limitations

• This tool is informational only. It does not diagnose, treat or replace a qualified health professional. Speak to a doctor before making decisions about your health.
• The default values are typical reference figures, not measurements of your situation. Replace them with your own data whenever you have it.