Are carbs essential for high intensity training & performance?

A short video exploring whether carbs are essential for high intensity sport and training, and how people on keto or carnivore diets appear to defy the rules of sports nutrition. References mentioned in the video are listed below.

1. Burke, L.M., et al., Low carbohydrate, high fat diet impairs exercise economy and negates the performance benefit from intensified training in elite race walkers. J Physiol, 2017. 595(9): p. 2785-2807. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28012184/

2. Burke, L.M., et al., Crisis of confidence averted: Impairment of exercise economy and performance in elite race walkers by ketogenic low carbohydrate, high fat (LCHF) diet is reproducible. PLoS One, 2020. 15(6): p. e0234027. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32497061/

3. Prins, P.J., et al., Low and high carbohydrate isocaloric diets on performance, fat oxidation, glucose and cardiometabolic health in middle age males. Front Nutr, 2023. 10: p. 1084021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36845048/

4. Prins, P.J., et al., High fat diet improves metabolic flexibility during progressive exercise to exhaustion (VO(2)max testing) and during 5 km running time trials. Biol Sport, 2023. 40(2): p. 465-475. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10108759/

5. Volek, J.S., et al., Metabolic characteristics of keto-adapted ultra-endurance runners. Metabolism, 2016. 65(3): p. 100-110. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026049515003340