Carb Timing Doesn’t Matter? What the Research Actually Shows | Tim Podlogar | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 582

Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast
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New research by Dr. Tim Podlogar and colleagues could change the way you fuel your training. He joined us to break it down in the latest episode, live now on all podcast platforms!

Thanks for joining us and taking the time to explain the work by you and your colleagues, Tim!

// TOPICS COVERED

(00:00:00) Carb Timing Debate: When Should You Fuel on Long Rides?

(00:01:24) Study Overview: Testing Different Carb Timing Strategies

(00:06:09) The Protocols: Progressive vs Constant vs Front-Loaded Fueling

(00:07:37) Key Result: Carb Timing Didn’t Impact Performance

(00:11:37) Why Real-World Racing Masks Fueling Differences

(00:13:09) Practical Takeaway: Total Carbs Matter More Than Timing

(00:21:28) Do Carbs Spare Glycogen? What the Research Actually Shows

(00:24:50) Why Carb Intake Becomes Critical After ~2–3 Hours

(00:31:10) Real-World Application: How Athletes Should Fuel

(00:36:00) Energy Availability & Underfueling Risks in Endurance Athletes

(00:45:08) Leadville Case Study: Fueling for Long, High-Altitude Races

(00:56:16) Final Takeaways: Stop Overthinking Timing, Focus on Execution

// RESOURCES MENTIONED

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A sort of related topic; processing of collagen requires vitamin C. Does it matter if you eat that orange before you suck down the pre ride coffee/ tea loaded with collagen. Or is it ok to eat it after that morning workout?

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great podcast. thanks for doing the interview.

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@Jonathan Not to be the semantic police, but I believe you are using the term “plastic” when you mean “elastic” a couple times during the podcast. Plastic changes are permanent and do not not revert back to their original state.

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He probably means plasticity in terms of phenotype plasticity or neural plasticity but it’s not the correct use of the word yes

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Have the cup of coffee, then eat your orange, and wash it down with collagen in water. No need to mix the cow hide into your coffee!! :cold_face:

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The coffee hides the horrible taste!

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It’s not that bad. I put vanilla powder in the container of my multi type collagen. It hides the chicken skin, fish bones and cow hide taste. The dog likes it with out the vanilla.

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No need to ruin a good cup of coffee, though.

I’d rather down the collagen and enjoy my coffee than mix them together.

It is rather disgusting on its own, though, you’re right. :nauseated_face:

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Creatine isn’t awful in coffee. But collagen adds some funk.

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So what’s the verdict? Doesn’t matter?

I tried listening but they dont get to the point or keep talking around it and i keep zoning out lol

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This is your answer right here.

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I don’t notice the collagen in my coffee, but maybe it’s the volume of coffee I drink/add it to (16oz).

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8 minutes???!!!?

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What does 8 minutes mean? I don’t understand. To elaborate on my answer to you, what matters most is taking in carbs during exercise and the timing isn’t as important as long as you do get it in. They get into more details and nuance but that is the take-away.

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I think what’s important here is how they studied it.

they didn’t blindly do carbs vs no carbs

instead they times equal consumption vs progressive consumption. They may have tested another method but I don’t remember it.

the conclusion was that late in the race style effort, when you do a TT at the end, there was no difference

Put differently, you can conclude that as long as you take in enough carbs ahead of the effort you need them, there’s no difference they found in how you do it. Your body just seems to need enough time to absorb it.

Note that they didn’t test “point consumption” of eating 300g right before the final effort.

Now I know Coggan is sometimes controversial but he has previously shared studies where they would the carb ingestion only mattered after hour 2-3 (albeit small sample). That’s sort of consistent with this above study. It’s possible that you could delay fuelling but my view is consistently taking in carbs is mentally easier, but that this study also shows there’s no need to stress and you can take it as you can rather than strictly timed