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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Sep;34(9):e14731.
doi: 10.1111/sms.14731.

No Effects of Carbohydrate Ingestion on Muscle Metabolism or Performance During Short-Duration High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise

Jeppe F Vigh-Larsen  1   2 , Daniel Z Kruse  2 , Maja B Moseholt  2 , Laura G B Hansen  2 , Ann-Louise L Christensen  1 , Amanda Bæk  3   4 , Ole E Andersen  2   3 , Magni Mohr  1   5 , Kristian Overgaard  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

No Effects of Carbohydrate Ingestion on Muscle Metabolism or Performance During Short-Duration High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise

Jeppe F Vigh-Larsen et al. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2024 Sep.

Abstract

Carbohydrates are critical for high-intensity exercise performance. However, the effects of carbohydrate supplementation on muscle metabolism and performance during short-duration high-intensity intermittent exercise remain inadequately explored. Our aim was to address this aspect in a randomized, counterbalanced, double-blinded crossover design. Eleven moderately-to-well-trained males performed high-intensity intermittent cycling receiving carbohydrate (CHO, ~55 g/h) or placebo (PLA) fluid supplementation. Three exercise periods (EX1-EX3) were completed comprising 10 × 45 s at ~105% Wmax interspersed with 135 s rest between bouts and ~20 min between periods. Repeated sprint ability (5 × 6 s sprints with 24 s recovery) was assessed at baseline and after each period. Thigh muscle biopsies were obtained at baseline and before and after EX3 to determine whole-muscle and fiber-type-specific glycogen depletion. No differences were found in muscle glycogen degradation at the whole-muscle (p = 0.683) or fiber-type-specific level (p = 0.763-0.854) with similar post-exercise whole-muscle glycogen concentrations (146 ± 20 and 122 ± 15 mmol·kg-1 dw in CHO and PLA, respectively). Repeated sprint ability declined by ~9% after EX3 with no between-condition differences (p = 0.971) and no overall differences in ratings of perceived exertion (p = 0.550). This was despite distinctions in blood glucose concentrations throughout exercise, reaching post-exercise levels of 5.3 ± 0.2 and 4.1 ± 0.2 mmol·L-1 (p < 0.001) in CHO and PLA, respectively, accompanied by fivefold higher plasma insulin levels in CHO (p < 0.001). In conclusion, we observed no effects of carbohydrate ingestion on net muscle glycogen breakdown or sprint performance during short-duration high-intensity intermittent exercise despite elevated blood glucose and insulin levels. These results therefore question the efficacy of carbohydrate supplementation strategies in high-intensity intermittent sports.

Keywords: ergogenic aids; fiber type; glycogen; sprint ability; substrate.

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