Ae. Jeukendrup et al., EFFECTS OF CARBOHYDRATE (CHO) AND FAT SUPPLEMENTATION ON CHO METABOLISM DURING PROLONGED EXERCISE, Metabolism, clinical and experimental, 45(7), 1996, pp. 915-921
The aim of the study was to examine carbohydrate (CHO) utilization in
subjects receiving CHO or CHO + medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) suppl
ements during 180 minutes of exercise at 50% maximal aerobic work rate
([Wmax] 57% maximal oxygen consumption [VO(2)max]). In a double-blind
crossover design, nine trained athletes cycled four times. Subjects r
eceived a bolus of 4 mL . kg(-1) at the start and 2 mL . kg(-1) every
20 minutes during exercise of either a 150-g . L(-1) CHO solution (CHO
trial), an equicaloric 70 energy% (en%) CHO-30 en% MCT suspension con
taining 29 g MCT (CHO + MCT trial), or a 150-g . L(-1) CHO (high-CHO [
HCHO]) solution plus 29 g MCT (HCHO + MCT trial). A fourth trial consi
sted of a C-13-background control trial (CON). The four trials were ra
ndomized. Before and after the exercise bout, muscle biopsies were tak
en from the quadriceps muscle and muscle glycogen levels were determin
ed. During exercise, breath samples were collected for estimation of e
xogenous and endogenous CHO oxidation. No significant differences were
detected in glycogen breakdown among the trials (277 +/- 14 14 mmol .
kg dry weight(-1) CHO, 249 +/- 20 CHO + MCT, and 240 +/- 18 HCHO + MC
T) or in the respiratory exchange ratio during exercise. Mean exogenou
s CHO oxidation rates during the final hour of exercise were 0.79, 0.6
3, and 0.73 g min(-1), respectively. No differences were observed betw
een the trials regarding exogenous or endogenous CHO oxidation. Plasma
free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations were elevated during exercise to
a level of approximately 500 mu mol . L(-1) and were comparable in al
l trials, whereas plasma ketone concentrations significantly increased
after MCT ingestion as compared with the CHO trial. It is concluded t
hat 29 g MCT co-ingested with CHO during 180 minutes of exercise does
not influence CHO utilization or glycogen breakdown. Copyright (C) 199
6 by W.B. Saunders Company