Evidence: strong
How much you need depends on event length: roughly 30–60 g of carbohydrate per hour for 1–2.5 hours, and up to about 90 g/h beyond 2.5 hours.
Jeukendrup 2014; Thomas 2016; Kerksick 2018
GUT TRAINING
How much carbohydrate can your gut actually handle in a race?Train your fueling capacity.
Most athletes build fitness for months, then find out what their stomach can handle on race day. There is a better way.
THE PROBLEM
Fitness gets trained.
Fueling gets tested on race day.
Endurance athletes plan intervals, long sessions, pacing and recovery. Fueling often gets a plan on paper and a first real trial when the stakes are highest. If the stomach objects at hour three, there is no time to learn from it.
A stomach that struggles is not a flaw. It is information, and it is far more useful in a training session than on a start line.
WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS
Published research,
plainly labeled.
These findings come from published studies and sports-nutrition guidelines, not from studies of Point8. Each one shows how strong the evidence is.
Evidence: strong
The gut is trainable. In controlled studies, practicing carbohydrate intake during exercise reduced stomach discomfort.
Martinez 2023; Costa 2017; Miall 2018
Evidence: moderate
Studies saw improvements in as little as two weeks of consistent practice; most athletes build over several weeks.
Costa 2017; Miall 2018; Martinez 2023
Evidence: strong
A single sugar source tops out around 60 g per hour. Higher rates rely on glucose + fructose mixes.
Jeukendrup 2014; Jentjens 2004; Rowlands 2015
Evidence: strong
At high intakes, glucose + fructose mixes improve gut comfort and performance compared with glucose alone.
Currell 2008; Rowlands 2015; O'Brien 2011
Evidence: moderate to strong
Hard efforts reduce blood flow to the gut, so fueling feels harder at race intensity than on easy days.
Costa 2017; van Wijck 2011; ter Steege 2012
Evidence: moderate
Heat increases stomach symptoms and reduces how much ingested carbohydrate the body uses.
Snipe 2018; Jentjens 2002
Strong: systematic reviews and position statements. Moderate: controlled trials.
THE POINT8 IDEA
Practice.
Log. Progress.
Treat fueling like any other skill: rehearse it, learn from each session, and build up gradually.
01
Practice
Fuel in your training sessions, not only on race day.
02
Log
Note how each session went, including how your stomach felt.
03
Progress
Build up gradually, guided by how your stomach responds.
04
Plan
Plan race day from what you have already demonstrated.
POINT8.APP
Find your number
before race day.
Point8 is being built for endurance athletes who want to train their fueling capacity. Join the waitlist for early access.
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Educational information only, not medical advice.