Do keto athletes perform any better than athletes that don't restrict carbohydrates?
The answer appears to be mostly no, and in some ways keto athletes are slower. While they may be able to perform longer at moderate intensities, they fall short at higher intensities that require carbohydrate fuel.
One of the cleanest studies showing the difference is
Burke et al 2017, which found the following keto vs. carb:
- increased fat oxidation
- reduced exercise economy (speed:O2 consumption)
- lower race performance
Personally, as an aging endurance cyclist who has a reduced number of performance dials to turn, I want to push my exercise economy as high as I can get it. So for me, keto is a no.