Summary of the 2026 Professionals in Nutrition for Exercise and Sport “10 Questions/10 Experts” Session—Are Sports Nutrition Guidelines Too Elite Focused for Recreational Athletes?

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Abstract
This article provides a synopsis of the 10 Questions/10 Experts session at the 2026 American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, which examined whether sports nutrition guidelines are equally applicable from recreational to elite athletes. Each speaker considered the validity of a given common “myth” statement and provided an evidence-based opinion to support, bust, or qualify propositions addressing the following questions: (a) Are sports nutrition guidelines based primarily on studies of elite athletes, and are they too serious for recreational athletes? (b) Do recreational marathon runners need the same in-race carbohydrate recommendations as elite marathon runners? (c) Must recreational athletes consume 1.6 g·kg −1 ·day −1 of protein to benefit from exercise training? (d) Does nitrate supplementation benefit elite and recreational athletes equally? (e) Do recreational athletes need a structured fluid intake plan? (f) Is sodium bicarbonate loading relevant only to elite athletes? (g) Do recreational and elite athletes require more micronutrients than suggested by the Recommended Dietary Allowances? (h) Is eating after 8:00 p.m. detrimental to performance or recovery in recreational athletes? (i) Are recreational athletes at greater risk for suboptimal vitamin D status because indoor occupations reduce sunlight exposure? and (j) Should recreational athletes train with low carbohydrate availability to amplify adaptation? This article describes the content of each presentation, including the most important evidence, practical implications, and conclusions identified by the presenters.

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