The Freetrail Podcast with Dylan Bowman Asker Jeukendrup | Endurance Nutrition Masterclass
Dec 18, 2025
Asker Jeukendrup, a renowned sport scientist and co-founder of NeverSecond, dives deep into endurance nutrition. He discusses the evolution of carbohydrate strategies in sports and the importance of glucose-fructose combinations for optimal absorption. Asker shares insights on gut training for improving carbohydrate tolerance and how to tailor nutrition based on race conditions. He also covers the nuances of electrolyte balance, caffeine's role, and practical tips for fueling performance, while emphasizing evidence-based approaches for athletes.
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Train Your Gut Systematically
- Assess gut tolerance by testing high-carb intakes in sufficiently hard, long training sessions.
- Train the gut weekly to improve comfort, gastric emptying, and transporter capacity within weeks.
Training Low Changes Muscle, Not Always Results
- Fasted or 'train low' sessions upregulate muscle fat-burning enzymes.
- Short studies show molecular change, but clear performance benefits require longer, controlled trials.
Periodize Carbs, Don't Live High-Carb Always
- Don't adopt high-carb intake all the time; periodize feeding with training goals.
- Use high carbs for sessions that require them and low-carb approaches sometimes to stimulate adaptations.