Endurance athletes should obtain what percentage of daily calories from carbohydrates?

• A. 60-70%
• B. 30-40%
• C. 10-20%
• D. 50-60%

Answer: (A)

Carbohydrates are the body's primary fuel during endurance exercise, especially at moderate to high intensities, because they can be rapidly converted to energy and help maintain muscle and liver glycogen stores. To support sustained performance and delay fatigue, endurance athletes typically aim for about 60–70% of daily calories from carbohydrates. The remaining calories come from fats (which become more prominent at lower intensities and over very long durations) and a modest amount from protein for recovery. For example, on a 3,000 kcal day, about 1,800–2,100 kcal would come from carbohydrates, roughly 450–525 g. The other options provide too little carbohydrate to keep glycogen stores topped up and energy available during prolonged endurance activity.