Learning from Tim Noakes

The scientist who discovered overdrinking kills athletes—then questioned everything he'd taught for 30 years

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The Story

In the 1980s, Tim Noakes was the world's leading advocate for carbohydrate loading. His book Lore of Running became the bible for endurance athletes. He told runners to drink as much as possible, eat pasta before races, and fuel constantly.

Then two things happened.

First, athletes started dying. Not from dehydration—from overhydration. Noakes had to explain why marathon runners were collapsing from drinking too much water.

Second, he got Type 2 diabetes. The same disease his father had. Despite following his own advice.

At 62, Noakes did something almost no scientist does: he publicly reversed his positions. The carbs he'd championed for decades? Probably making people sick. The "drink ahead of thirst" advice? Killing people.

His willingness to question his own work—and face brutal professional consequences for it—makes him one of the most important figures in sports science history.

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Who is Tim Noakes?

Noakes has published over 750 scientific papers. He's one of the most cited exercise scientists alive—and also one of the most controversial.

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What ISP Students Learn

Lesson 1: Fatigue Is a Feeling, Not a Failure

Noakes' most revolutionary idea is the Central Governor Model.

For a century, scientists believed fatigue happened when your muscles physically failed—ran out of fuel, accumulated too much lactic acid, or couldn't get enough oxygen.

Noakes proposed something radical: fatigue is not a physical event. It's a sensation created by your brain to protect you.

Your brain monitors your temperature, blood sugar, heart rate, and dozens of other signals. When it senses danger (overheating, depleting reserves), it makes you feel exhausted before you actually are—so you'll slow down.

This explains the "final sprint" paradox: Why can exhausted marathoners suddenly speed up in the last 400 meters? Because the brain, sensing the finish line, releases the governor and lets them access reserves it was protecting.

What this means for young athletes: When you feel like you "can't go anymore," you probably can. Your brain is being cautious. Mental training matters as much as physical training.

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Lesson 2: Overdrinking Can Kill You

In the 1980s, sports drink companies told athletes: "Stay ahead of thirst. Drink as much as possible."

Noakes proved this advice was deadly.

Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia (EAH) happens when you drink so much water that your blood sodium levels drop dangerously low. Water moves into your cells. Your brain swells. People have seizures, slip into comas, and die.

Noakes documented case after case of marathon runners who collapsed not from dehydration—but from drinking too much.

His research led to a global consensus shift: drink to thirst, not to a schedule.

"Dehydration is a mild inconvenience. Hyponatremia is a medical emergency."

What this means for young athletes: Don't force water. Drink when you're thirsty. That's how your body has worked for millions of years.

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Lesson 3: Be Willing to Change Your Mind

This is the hardest lesson.

For 30 years, Noakes taught high-carb diets and aggressive hydration. His books sold millions. He was the authority.

Then the evidence changed—and so did he.

At 62, diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes despite following his own advice, Noakes investigated why. His conclusion: his body couldn't handle the carbs he'd recommended for decades.

He publicly reversed his positions. He faced a multi-year legal battle when the South African health authorities charged him with "unprofessional conduct" for recommending low-carb diets on Twitter. He was cleared twice.

"The most important thing a scientist can do is admit when they were wrong."

What this means for young athletes: The best experts update their views when evidence changes. Be skeptical of anyone who claims to have all the answers forever.

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Lesson 4: Not Everyone Needs the Same Diet

Noakes now argues that people vary dramatically in their ability to process carbohydrates. Some are "insulin sensitive" and handle carbs fine. Others are "insulin resistant" and become sick.

He uses HbA1c (a blood test measuring average blood sugar) as the key marker:

• Below 5.0%: Handle carbs well
• Above 5.5%: Consider carb restriction
• Above 6.0%: Significant restriction likely needed

This is personalized nutrition—not one-size-fits-all advice.

What this means for young athletes: What works for your teammate might not work for you. Pay attention to how different foods make you feel and perform.

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Key Takeaways

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How This Shows Up at ISP

Tim Noakes' work influences multiple areas of the ISP curriculum:

Mental Skill Tree:

• The Central Governor Model is core to understanding mental toughness
• "Your brain is protecting you, not failing you" changes how students interpret fatigue

Bio Skill Tree:

• Hydration education emphasizes drinking to thirst, not forced schedules
• We teach that individual responses to nutrition vary

Life Lessons:

• Noakes' story of publicly changing his mind after 30 years is a model for intellectual honesty
• "The willingness to be wrong" is a skill we explicitly teach

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Learn More

• How ISP Works →
• The Science of Motivation →
• Hydration Science →

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"The greatest threat to your career is not being wrong. It's being too proud to admit it."

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