Episode 172-Potatoes for Fuel/Phil Billiskopf of Mauna Endurance

A brief synopsis of the episode's main discussions and takeaways as well as extended references

Author

Jeff Sankoff
June 06, 2025

This episode was a fun one with a look at a stable commodity as possible source of endurance fuel and then an interview with a real dynamo in the sport, the founder of Mauna.

Table of Contents

Potatoes as endurance fuel?-MMB found evidence that ‘Big Potato’ may be overhyping the reality of the science

You may have seen the recent article in the Washington Post as I did, or, maybe one of the many forum posts out there where people have related their own personal experiences. However you heard of it, I am guessing that this episode’s Medical Mailbag subject won’t be something new to you? The subject of using potatoes as endurance fuel is something that percolates along and gets brought up from time to time. It’s an intriguing idea in some ways-potatoes are abundant and cheap and in some ways, offer a potentially tasty alternative to gels and other forms of carbohydrates. But do they work as a fuel? And how does one prepare them and carry them anyways? And should we be at all concerned about the fact that almost all of the science on this subject has its roots somewhere in Idaho??!! The MMB team is on the case and while there may be some proof that potatoes could be used for fuel, it is safe to say that for most people this is not going to be the best option.

Phil Billikopf-From the World of Finance To Multisport Entrepreneur

About Phil according to Phil: From finance to Triathlon entrepreneur! Originally Chilean, but moved from London, relocated to the US in 2019. Founder of Mauna Apparel and MNA Coaching ( a global coaching company). Competitive triathlete with 6x Ironman World Championship and 8x Ironman 70.3 World Championship.

Philip Billikopf joins us today, bringing a whirlwind of enthusiasm. Starting from his childhood in Chile, he shares how a family passion for cycling turned into a full-blown love for endurance sports. Fast forward through a banking career, and we find Philip transforming into a triathlon coach and competitive athlete. He’s competed in Ironman events across every continent, so basically, he’s the human version of a world tour. It’s inspiring to hear how his journey evolved from self-coaching with Excel sheets to partnering with renowned coaches, actively shaping his knowledge and training techniques. And let’s be honest, we all need a little guidance sometimes, unless you enjoy running into walls, figuratively speaking.

In our chat, Philip dives deep into the realities of balancing a thriving coaching business with training. He’s not just a coach; he’s a passionate entrepreneur who founded Mauna Endurance Apparel and MNA Coaching right before the pandemic hit. But instead of folding, he adapted and thrived, offering a unique blend of coaching that’s as personalized as your favorite coffee order. His insights on how to juggle work, training, and life will resonate with anyone trying to keep their head above water while pursuing their passions. It's all about finding that sweet spot where work and sport collide, and Philip is living proof that it’s possible—albeit with a few late nights and a lot of caffeine.

Episode takeaways:

  • When it comes to balancing work and triathlon training, passion fuels the grind

  • Potatoes as endurance fuel? Sure, why not! They pack calories but come with a side of GI chaos.

  • Philip Billicoff's journey from finance to triathlon coaching shows that passion can pivot careers dramatically.

  • Expectations vs. reality: athletes want swims but weather has other plans; welcome to the new normal, folks!

References used for the MMB

Question: Does Potato Fueling Work?

Overall:

  • While studies suggest the potential of potatoes to support endurance exercise, improve performance similar to commercial carbohydrate supplements, and help with exercise recovery, there are potential side effects, like GI distress, to consider.

  • Carbohydrates & proteins are both are necessary for athletes, but it is important to consider how to consume them and how much to consume them.

  • Further investigation on their effectiveness should be done on a larger cohort to clarify their implications for athletic fueling. 

Powered by potatoes: Endurance athletes are chasing speed with spuds

By Kate Bernot, Washington Post article published May 2025

Key Points:

  • This article highlights the nutritional values of potatoes and includes commentary from multiple rultramarathon unners on the benefits of potato fueling.

  • The “Potatoes Fuel Performance” campaign was launched in 2018 by Potatoes USA, a national marketing and research group

  • A potato industry-funded study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology reported that russet potatoes improve endurance for trained cyclists, similar to packaged carbohydrate gels. (This same study seems to be repeatedly cited in many online articles)

  • In addition to more potassium than an average banana, a medium potato contains starch and fiber, which are longer-lasting than the glucose or fructose, rapid-absorption sweet gels and gummies that athletes consume.

  • Athletes will ideally consume both long-lasting and fast-absorbing carbohydrates.

  • Ultrarunners are consuming salted and smashed potatoes, mashed potatoes with chicken stock or miso broth, and salted, buttered mashed potatoes to fuel their endurance performances.

Are Potatoes the New Fitness Food?

Nike Coaching Article, updated August 2021

Key Points:

  • This article by Nike shares the potential of potato fueling while highlighting its limitations.

  • According to Amadeo Salvador, a PhD candidate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a large potato containing about 65g of fast-digesting carbs and half of your daily recommended intake of potassium can help to increase glycogen storage and fuel strength and endurance exercises.

  • In Salvador’s study comparing the effect of 120g of carbs from baked russet potato puree and carb gel, both were found to be equally effective in supporting 2 hours of cycling performance, but subjects experienced increased digestive distress when consuming potatoes instead of gel or water, suggesting the need to experiment with its preparation and use.

  • Salvador and Molly Kimball, a dietitian, suggest the value of consuming potatoes after exercise to address athletes’ need to hydrate, repair muscle, recover, and replenish electrolytes and glycogen after exercise, noting that potatoes are 75% water with minerals and high carb content.

  • Despite their carbohydrate benefits, potatoes are not adequate as a source of protein, with large ones supplying only about 8g of protein.

Potato ingestion is as effective as carbohydrate gels to support prolonged cycling performance

Salvador et al., 2019

Key Points:

  • This study of 12 trained endurance cyclists is reported as the first investigation of its kind to compare the performance effect of concentrated carbohydrates to a whole food source.

  • Gel and potato conditions showed higher CHO oxidation and lower fat oxidation than water. However, there was no difference between the gel and potato conditions. 

  • Cycling performance measured by time trial was better in the two CHO conditions than water, but no difference was observed between potato and gel.

  • Consistent with past studies, the perceived rate of exertion was also lower in potato and gel conditions compared to water, confirming the potential of exogenous CHO to reduce perceived exertion during long cycling.

  • Furthermore, CHO ingestion reduced plasma I-FABP concentration, which has previously been reported to increase from exercise and is used as a biomarker for gut damage in exercise studies. This suggests that CHO ingestion reduces gut exercise-induced damage.

  • The potato condition induced more overall GI symptoms than water or gel, with an increase in abdominal pain, bloating, and discomfort during the late phases of the cycling challenge. This article reports that this may be due to the cumulative effect of the higher volume of potato needed to reach the same quantity of CHO/dose in the gel and the retrogradation process during cooling, such as the formation of resistant starch, which increases the indigestible proportion.

  • The article discusses that trained athletes are less susceptible to performance improvements than nontrained individuals.

  • More studies are necessary to assess optimal fueling strategies to reduce GI distress while improving glucose availability and protecting gut health.

Methods: 12 endurance, trained, and competitive cyclists (n=9 male, n=3 female) who trained an average of 7 years, cycling 267 km/wk. Age 30.6+/- 8.7 years. Body fat 21.6 +/- 5.1%. Volunteers were prescreened to meet a VO2 max threshold and to complete a cycling challenge and time trial. Participants were randomized to one of 3 conditions: baked white russet potato flesh puree (60g CHO/h), energy gel (60g CHO/h), or water. Exercise protocol: 120 min cycling challenge (5 min warm-up, steady state exercise with four 3 min intermittent high-intensity bursts followed by 1 min low-intensity) followed by a time trial (TT) completed as fast as possible.

Results: No time or condition effects in urine osmolarity. Gel (1.79+/-0.59 g/min, p<0.001) and potato (1.69+/-0.4 g/min, p<0.001) conditions showed higher CHO oxidation than water (1.42+/-0.54 g/min) (p<0.001). Gel (0.59+/-0.26 g/min, p<0.001) and potato (0.65+/-0.25 g/min, p=0.017) conditions showed lower fat oxidation than water (0.75+/-0.28 g/min). Significant differences were observed in perceived rate of exertion relative to load performed between potato (p=0.005) and gel (p=0.008) compared to water during the time trial. CHO ingestion reduced plasma I-FABP concentration, indicating a reduction in exercise-induced intestinal damage. More overall GI symptoms after the cycling challenge for the potato condition. Potato condition increased abdominal pain, bloating, and discomfort during the late phases of the cycling challenge. TT was significantly faster (p=0.032) in CHO conditions (potato: 33+/-4.5 min; gel: 30 +/- 4.2 min) compared to water (39.5 +/- 7.9 min), but no difference was observed between the two CHO conditions.

Potato as a Source of Nutrition for Physical Performance

Kanter & Elkin, 2019

Key Points:

  • The Alliance for Potato Research and Education examined the change in dietary recommendations over the years and the nutritional needs for optimal physical performance.

  • Carbohydrates, proteins, and fluids have remained vital components of an athlete's diet over the past few decades.

  • According to this paper, most review of sports nutrition literature suggests that optimal physical performance requires nutrient-dense carbohydrates from whole food sources, like potatoes, which help to build strong nutritional foundations for training, recovery, and adaptation.

  • Potatoes are frequently cited as a great example of a nutrient-rich, high-quality carbohydrate, with a medium skin-on baked white potato (148 g) containing 23%DV potassium, 24%DV vitamin C, 23%DV vitamin B6, 13% DV fiber, and 10%DV magnesium, for a 2000kcal/day diet. 

  • This article reports that while potassium is important in maintaining fluid balance during strenuous exercise, studies have demonstrated that only 2-3% of the population consumes an adequate amount of it. Consuming potatoes can help to address this problem and improve hydration. 

  • Studies suggest that rapidly absorbing carbohydrates can be beneficial in both short-term and long-term recovery.

  • Low-carbohydrate diets, which continue to become prevalent in mainstream conversations about diet, will not allow high-activity athletes to train at the intensity required to attain peak physical performance.

  • Literature also indicates that low-carb diets that lower glycogen availability can make training at high intensity difficult, produce decrements in performance, and increase vulnerability to skeletal muscle damage.

  • Furthermore, the article makes a point that overconsuming proteins to meet the physical needs of training can lead to underconsumption of carbohydrates, which can hinder performance. 

Males and females exhibit similar muscle glycogen recovery with varied recovery food sources

Flynn et al., 2020

Key Points:

  • This study of 16 cyclists (male n=8, female n=8) assessed the effectiveness of potato-based dietary products compared to commercial athletic supplements in replenishing exercise-depleted glycogen.

  • This study found that glycogen re-synthesis rates and exercise performance of cyclists measured by 20 km time trial results were comparable between PB and SS consumption, suggesting that potato-based supplementation to aid recovery is just as effective as commercial refueling products.

  • This study cited a past study by Cramer et al. (2015), which showed that fast food menu items stimulated glycogen recovery and contributed to subsequent performance as effectively as commercial sports supplements. 

  • 1.6 g/kg of body weight of carbohydrate is effective for both males and females to support endurance exercise.

  • Combined with past studies using fast food items, the results from this study suggest that both male and female athletes can choose a desirable/available carbohydrate source for recovery in addition to or as an alternate to commercial products.

  • Inconsistency with Salvador et al. (2019) study: Males experienced less stomach discomfort during potato trial than the supplement trial.

Introduction: Studies since the 1960s have linked endurance exercise performance and time to exhaustion to glycogen storage levels. Other studies have suggested that variety of dietary strategies can prompt glycogen re-synthesis following glycogen-depleting exercises. This study assessed the effectiveness of potato-based products compared to commercial carbohydrate products.

Methods: Recreationally active cyclists (N=16; n=8 male, n=8 female). Participants underwent preliminary testing which included: 4h fast; 24h abstained from exercise, alcohol, or caffeine; VO2max measurement; Wmax (peak power output) measurement; practice 20km time trial (TT). Randomized, crossover trial with two experimental conditions: potato-based food (PB) and sports supplement product (SS). Each trial consisted of a 12h fast, glycogen depletion ride, 4h recovery, and 20km TT. Consumed 1.6g carb/kg body weight of PB or SS at 0h and 2h of recovery. Completed questionnaires, blood sampling, and muscle biopsies to measure glycogen.

Results: Muscle glycogen content increased over recovery period, but  no difference in muscle glycogen resynthesis and resynthesis rate between males and females observed following PB and SS consumption. Trial x ex interaction for stomach discomfort (p<0.05). Males experienced less stomach discomfort during potato trial than the supplement trial. No effect and difference between PB and SS on 20km time trial results.

Potato Protein isolate Stimulates Muscle Protein Synthesis at Rest and with Resistance Exercise in Young Women

Oikawa et al., 2020

Key Points:

  • This study investigated the efficiency of plant protein like potato protein (PP) isolate in promoting muscle protein synthesis (MPS) compared to a control (CON) with and without resistance exercise in healthy women.

  • While there was no significant difference between PP and CON groups, the %/day MPS of PP group increased above baseline both at rest and with exercise, while MPS of CON only significantly increased with exercise.

  • Consuming twice the recommended dietary allowance of protein through PP increased the rate of MPS at rest and following exercise.

  • Resistance exercises stimulated MPS regardless of protein consumption.

  • This study suggests that potato-based supplementation could provide the carbohydrates and protein athletes need to replenish their energy and recover.

Methods: Single blind, parallel group design study. Physically active young women not meeting Canada’s Physical Activity Guidelines (150 min moderate exercise/week) recruited from McMaster Unviersity campus (N=24; age 18-29 years). Participants pre-screened. A week of controlled diet of 0.8g/kg/d total protein Condition: twice daily PP (1.6g/kg/d protein) (n=12) or control no-protein supplement (0.8g/kg/d protein) (n=12). 21d protocol. Unilateral resistance exercise of ~30% max strnegth to failure) perfromaced thrice weekly. Deuterated water used to label newly synthesized myofibillar protein (MPS). MPS measured after supplementation (rest) and following supplementation + resistance exercise. Saliva samples collected.

Results: No group different in total kcals or %fat intake. Protein intake significantly higher for PP group during 2 weeks of intervention (p<0.0001). MPS of PP group increased above baseline both at rest and with exercise, but MPS of CON only significantly increased with exercise ( MPS by PP: 0.14 ± 0.09 %/d at Rest, 0.32 ± 0.14 %/d with Exercise; MPS by CON: 0.20 ± 0.11 %/with Exercise). However, no significant difference between groups at any time. No significant results in muscle signaling protein content. 

Potato Fueling Documents from Potato Goodness:

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