Challenging beliefs in sports nutrition: are two 'core principles' proving to be myths ripe for busting?

Let’s start with a couple of quiz questions. Put your hands up if you have given the following pieces of advice to your patients/ athletes. (1) Thirst is not a good indicator of hydration. You must drink lots of fluids before, during and after exercise. (2) The optimum diet for weight control, general health and athletic performance consists of low fat, high carbohydrate. Well, both my hands are up, and I suspect I am in good company among sports medicine professionals. For the past 30 years, these have been two of the basic tenets of sports nutrition. Recently, however, both these universally regarded ‘truths’ have been challenged.