Fat - Does it help performance?

June 2000

There is no clear evidence that fat adaptation strategies offer any benefits for the endurance athlete over the traditional high carbohydrate diet.
It is not clear whether there are any advantages for ultra-endurance athletes, who compete in events undertaken at a lower intensity and for longer periods (four or more hours). For these athletes, fat is the predominant fuel source.
Although some sports gels and sports products are marketed with the addition of MCTs, there is little evidence to support a beneficial use of these special products.
It is likely that in the small amounts that can be tolerated, MCTs will not be a significant fuel source for athletes.
Further research is needed to clarify whether MCTs or high fat diets can be a useful fuel in ultra-endurance sports.
All people, including athletes, should choose a diet that is low in saturated fats (eg cakes, pastries, commercial fried foods). Most fat consumed should be unsaturated.
Remember that fat is easy to convert to body fat, so if you aren't burning up enough kilojoules in a day, extra fat in the diet is likely to become body fat.