Fat intake in bodybuilding

Bodybuilders and other athletes typically believe that low fat intake results in lower body fat and better performance and thus typically consume very low-fat diets. However, in physically active athletes consuming adequate calories, no correlation has been observed between fat intake and percent body fat and therefore, restricting fat intake may not be advisable.

 Fat is an important source of energy for light- and moderate-intensity activity and during long-duration aerobic activity. At least 20% energy should be provided by fat in the diets of athletes, given the role of fat in providing energy for athletes involved in prolonged, low-intensity activity. Restricting fat intake to less than 15% of energy intake is not advisable because it will not only limit performance by inhibiting intramuscular triglyceride storage, which is a significant source of energy during activities of all intensities, but will also affect important physiological functions.