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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Dec 2;14(23):5128.
doi: 10.3390/nu14235128.

Glucose and Fructose Supplementation and Their Acute Effects on Anaerobic Endurance and Resistance Exercise Performance in Healthy Individuals: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial

Max L Eckstein  1 , Maximilian P Erlmann  1 , Felix Aberer  2 , Sandra Haupt  1 , Paul Zimmermann  1   3 , Nadine B Wachsmuth  1 , Janis Schierbauer  1 , Rebecca T Zimmer  1 , Daniel Herz  1 , Barbara Obermayer-Pietsch  4 , Othmar Moser  1   5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Glucose and Fructose Supplementation and Their Acute Effects on Anaerobic Endurance and Resistance Exercise Performance in Healthy Individuals: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial

Max L Eckstein et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: The effects of glucose, fructose and a combination of these on physical performance have been subject of investigation, resulting in diverse findings.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate how an individualized amount of glucose, fructose, and a combination of these compared to placebo (sucralose) alter endurance performance on a cycle ergometer, lower and upper body resistance exercise performance at individualized thresholds in healthy young individuals.

Methods: A total of 16 healthy adults (9 females) with an age of 23.8 ± 1.6 years and a BMI of 22.6 ± 1.8 kg/m2 (body mass (BM) 70.9 ± 10.8 kg, height 1.76 ± 0.08 m) participated in this study. During the screening visit, the lactate turn point 2 (LTP2) was defined and the weights for chest-press and leg-press were determined. Furthermore, 30 min prior to each exercise session, participants received either 1 g/kg BM of glucose (Glu), 1 g/kg BM of fructose (Fru), 0.5 g/kg BM of glucose/fructose (GluFru) (each), or 0.2 g sucralose (placebo), respectively, which were dissolved in 300 mL of water. All exercises were performed until volitional exhaustion. Time until exhaustion (TTE) and cardio-pulmonary variables were determined for all cycling visits; during resistance exercise, repetitions until muscular failure were counted and time was measured. During all visits, capillary blood glucose and blood lactate concentrations as well as venous insulin levels were measured.

Results: TTE in cycling was 449 ± 163 s (s) (Glu), 443 ± 156 s (Fru), 429 ± 160 s (GluFru) and 466 ± 162 s (Pla) (p = 0.48). TTE during chest-press sessions was 180 ± 95 s (Glu), 180 ± 92 s (Fru), 172 ± 78 s (GluFru) and 162 ± 66 s (Pla) (p = 0.25), respectively.

Conclusions: Pre-exercise supplementation of Glu, Fru and a combination of these did not have an ergogenic effect on high-intensity anaerobic endurance performance and on upper and lower body moderate resistance exercise in comparison to placebo.

Keywords: cardio-pulmonary exercise testing; cycling; fructose; glucose; lactate metabolism; resistance exercise.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study flow chart. Glu: Glucose, Fru: Fructose, GluFru: Glucose and fructose and Suc: Sucralose (placebo).
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Blood lactate during cycling study visits. Black circles indicate Glu. Open Squares indicate fru. Half open squares indicate GluFru. Open circles indicate sucralose. Light grey areas indicate warm up periods. Dark grey areas indicate exercise testing. † indicates statistical significance of Glu and GluFru compared to fructose and sucralose (p < 0.001). * indicates statistical significance between fructose and sucralose (p < 0.05), Stars indicate statistical significance of glucose compared to fructose and sucralose (p < 0.01). (B) Blood lactate during cycling study visits. † indicates statistical significance of Fru and GluFru compared to glucose and sucralose (p < 0.001). (C) Blood glucose during chest-press visits. † indicates statistical significance of Glucose and GluFru compared to Fructose and sucralose (p < 0.001). * indicates statistical significance between fructose and sucralose (p < 0.05), ** indicates statistical significance between fructose and sucralose (p < 0.01), *** indicates statistical significance between fructose and sucralose (p < 0.001). Stars indicate statistical significance of glucose compared to Glufru, fructose and sucralose (p < 0.05). (D) Blood lactate during chest-press visits. † indicates statistical significance of Fructose and GluFru compared to glucose and sucralose (p < 0.001). ** indicates statistical significance between glucose and sucralose (p < 0.01), *** indicates statistical significance between glucose and sucralose (p < 0.001). (E) Blood glucose during leg-press visits. † indicates statistical significance of glucose and GluFru compared to fructose and sucralose (p < 0.001). T indicates statistical significance of glucose compared to fructose, GluFru and sucralose (p < 0.01). ** indicates statistical significance of fructose in comparison to sucralose (p < 0.01). Stars indicate statistical significance of glucose compared to fructose, GluFru and sucralose. While fructose and GluFru are statistically different to sucralose (p < 0.05). (F) Blood lactate during leg-press visits. † indicates statistical significance of fructose and GluFru compared to glucose and sucralose (p < 0.001). T indicates statistical significance of glucose compared to fructose, fructose and glufru compared to sucralose (p < 0.05). Stars indicate statistical significance between fructose and sucralose (p < 0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Black circles indicate Glu. Open Squares indicate fru. Half open squares indicate GluFru. Open circles indicate sucralose. Dark grey areas indicate exercise testing. (A) Insulin levels during cycling study visits † indicates statistical significance of glucose and GluFru compared to Fructose and sucralose (p < 0.01). ** indicates statistical significance of Glu, Fru, and GluFru compared to sucralose (p < 0.01). (B) † indicates statistical significance of glucose and GluFru compared to Fructose and sucralose (p < 0.01). * indicates statistical significance of Glu, Fru, and GluFru compared to sucralose (p < 0.01). Glu is significantly different to Fru (p < 0.05). Stars indicate statistical significance between all substances (p < 0.01). T indicates statistical difference between all substances besides Glu and Glufru (p < 0.01). (C) † indicates statistical significance of glucose and GluFru compared to Fructose and sucralose (p < 0.01). ** indicates statistical significance of Glu, Fru and GluFru compared to sucralose with no significant difference between glucose and Glufru and Fru and sucralose (p < 0.01). Stars indicate statistical significance between all substances (p < 0.05). T indicates statistical significance between all substances besides glucose and GluFru (p < 0.05).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Black circles indicate Glu. Open Squares indicate fru. Half open squares indicate GluFru. Open circles indicate sucralose. Light grey areas indicate warm up periods. Dark grey areas indicate exercise testing. Parameters derived from cycling study visits. VO2: Oxygen consumption. CO2: Carbon dioxide production. RER: Respiratory exchange ratio. HR: Heart rate. *** indicates statistical significance between fructose and GluFru compared to glucose and placebo. ** indicates statistical significance between fru and Glufru compared to placebo.
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