Are carbs overrated? What the "new" research is saying

For years, endurance athletes have been told that eating low-carb is the key to becoming “fat adapted” and improving performance. That narrative was recently resurfaced in a high-profile review by Tim Noakes — but does it actually hold up when we zoom out?

In this episode, I break down the Noakes narrative review, explain what the science does and does not show about fat oxidation, and clarify a critical point that often gets missed:

👉 Fat oxidation improves with training — not carbohydrate restriction.

We’ll cover:

• How ongoing endurance training increases fat oxidation capacity
• Why carbohydrate availability does not block mitochondrial adaptations
• How low-carb fueling increases risk for low energy availability (LEA) and RED-S, especially in women
• Why well-fueled athletes can burn fat and perform better
  
  

If you’re a runner trying to balance performance, health, and longevity — this episode will help you cut through the noise and fuel with confidence.

 

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