Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Nov;30(11):2044-2056.
doi: 10.1111/sms.13769. Epub 2020 Aug 18.

The relationship between peak fat oxidation and prolonged double-poling endurance exercise performance

Tue Rømer  1 , Mikkel Thunestvedt Hansen  1 , Jacob Frandsen  1 , Steen Larsen  1   2 , Flemming Dela  1   3 , Jørn Wulff Helge  1
Affiliations

The relationship between peak fat oxidation and prolonged double-poling endurance exercise performance

Tue Rømer et al. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2020 Nov.

Abstract

The peak fat oxidation rate (PFO) and the exercise intensity that elicits PFO (Fatmax ) are associated with endurance performance during exercise primarily involving lower body musculature, but it remains elusive whether these associations are present during predominant upper body exercise. The aim was to investigate the relationship between PFO and Fatmax determined during a graded exercise test on a ski-ergometer using double-poling (GET-DP) and performance in the long-distance cross-country skiing race, Vasaloppet. Forty-three healthy men completed GET-DP and Vasaloppet and were divided into two subgroups: recreational (RS, n = 35) and elite (ES, n = 8) skiers. Additionally, RS completed a cycle-ergometer GET (GET-Cycling) to elucidate whether the potential relationships were specific to exercise modality. PFO (r2 = .10, P = .044) and Fatmax (r2 = .26, P < .001) were correlated with performance; however, V ˙ O 2 peak was the only independent predictor of performance (adj. R2 = .36) across all participants. In ES, Fatmax was the only variable associated with performance (r2 = .54, P = .038). Within RS, DP V ˙ O 2 peak (r2 = .11, P = .047) and ski-specific training background (r2 = .30, P = .001) were associated with performance. Between the two GETs, Fatmax (r2 = .20, P = .006) but not PFO (r2 = .07, P = .135) was correlated. Independent of exercise mode, neither PFO nor Fatmax were associated with performance in RS (P > .05). These findings suggest that prolonged endurance performance is related to PFO and Fatmax but foremost to V ˙ O 2 peak during predominant upper body exercise. Interestingly, Fatmax may be an important determinant of performance among ES. Among RS, DP V ˙ O 2 peak , and skiing experience appeared as performance predictors. Additionally, whole-body fat oxidation seemed specifically coupled to exercise modality.

Keywords: cross-country skiing; double-poling; peak fat oxidation; prolonged endurance performance.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Bergström J, Hultman E. A study of the glycogen metabolism during exercise in man. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1967;19:218-228.
    1. Bergström J, Hermansen L, Hultman E, Saltin B. Diet, muscle glycogen and physical performance. Acta Physiol Scand. 1967;71:140-150.
    1. Bergström J, Hultman E, Saltin B. Muscle glycogen consumption during cross-country skiing (the Vasa ski race). Int Zeitschrift für Angew Physiol Einschließlich Arbeitsphysiologie. 1973;31:71-75.
    1. Costill DL, Coyle E, Dalsky G, Evans W, Fink W, Hoopes D. Effects of elevated plasma FFA and insulin on muscle glycogen usage during exercise. J Appl Physiol. 1977;43:695-699.
    1. Marquet LA, Brisswalter J, Louis J, et al. Enhanced endurance performance by periodization of carbohydrate intake: ‘Sleep Low’ strategy. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48:663-672.

LinkOut - more resources