Carbohydrates and Running Performance

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Nutrition, Healthy

• Registration Number: NCT06742398
• Lead Sponsor: University of Georgia

Brief Summary

Carbohydrates serve as the body's primary energy source during intense exercise, and consuming carbohydrates during exercise has been shown to improve exercise performance. Previous research has shown that the presence of carbohydrates in the mouth activates sweet taste receptors on the tongue, which signal the brain to increase neural activation in areas associated with motor functioning, sensory perception, and reward centers during exercise through this CPR. The primary objective of this intervention is to establish how carbohydrates delivered in different forms (MR versus dissolvable strip (DS)) affect running performance during a 12.8km running TT.

Detailed Description

This trial will be a randomized, controlled crossover design in humans. There will be four study visits (see Figure 1 below). The first visit (Baseline Visit/V1) will entail signing informed consent documents, anthropometric measurements, familiarization with the MR and DS, and the exercise protocol. For the three testing visits (V2-V4), subjects will perform a 12.8 km running TT on a motorized treadmill, with the only difference between visits being the form of treatment. Either a carbohydrate MR solution (called CMR), water MR solution as a control (called WMR), or carbohydrate DS (called CDS) will be administered at each visit in a randomized order. Study visits will be separated by at least 5 days, and all visits will take place in the Human Nutrition Lab (HNL) at the University of Georgia in Athens.

Specific Aims:

1. To examine the effect of carbohydrates delivered in different forms on running performance.

2. To examine the effect of carbohydrates delivered in different forms on physiologic measures as well as perceived exertion.

Hypotheses:

1. The investigators hypothesize that the carbohydrate-containing MR and DS will result in faster TT performance compared to a water MR (control).

2. The Investigators hypothesize that the carbohydrate-containing DS and MR will elicit higher HR and blood lactate levels (indicating greater levels of intensity) compared to control without significantly increasing RPE during the running TT.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-02-16
• Status Verified: 2024-12
• Study First Submitted: 2024-12-13
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-12-18
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-12-18
• Study First Posted: 2024-12-19
• Last Update Posted: 2024-12-19
• Primary Completion: 2025-06-01
• Study Completion: 2025-06-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 50

Inclusion Criteria

• 18-45 years old
• Male or Female
• Normal body mass index (BMI) between 18.0-24.9kg/m2
• All subjects will be endurance-trained athletes who participate in training on a regular basis (≥4 sessions per week for at least 1 hour per session of aerobic/endurance exercise (such as running, cycling, or swimming)
• Women will be tested only during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle (days 2-9) to control for any fluctuation in hormones
• Individuals aged 35 or older must pass the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ2)

Exclusion Criteria

• Anyone eating a low carbohydrate diet (such as The Zone™ Diet or Atkins™ Diet)
• Changes in current exercise program
• Chronic diseases (including but not limited to type II diabetes, hypertension, hypotension, hyperthyroidism, cardiovascular disease, and cancer)
• Medications that could alter metabolic rate or hydration status
• Supplement use other than fish oil or vitamin/mineral supplements
• Nicotine use
• Pregnancy or nursing
• Donation of blood in the 20 days prior to testing
• A failing result on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ2) for those aged 35 or older
• Allergy to red food dye FD&C Red No. 40

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Completion Times	Baseline/start time to approximately 1.5 hours	Measured by the time it takes from the beginning of the time trial (0.0 km) to finish the 12.8 km distance (minutes and seconds).
Percent Change in Completion Time from Control	Baseline/start time to approximately 1.5 hours	Measured by subtracting the completion time of the experimental and active comparator treatments from the control/sham comparator and dividing by the control/sham comparator, then multiplying by 100 to convert to a percentage (percent change in completion time from control).
Mile Pace Splits During the Time Trial	Baseline/start time to approximately 1.5 hours	Measured by the time it takes to complete each individual 12.5% increment of the total 12.8 km time trial (minutes and seconds).
Blood Lactate Levels	Baseline to approximately 1.5 hours	The blood lactate concentration immediately before beginning and after completion of the time trial at visits 2-4 (mmol/L).
Ratings of Perceived Exertion	Baseline/start time to approximately 1.5 hours	The Borg's Rating of Perceived Exertion scale will be used to measure self-reported perceived exertion (RPE) ratings. The sale minimum is 6, and the maximum is 20. Higher scores indicate higher feelings of exertion.
Maximum Heart Rate	Baseline/start time to approximately 1.5 hours	A continuous heart rate monitor (Polar H9 Heart Rate Sensor) will measure maximum heart rate (beats per minute).
Change in Time Trial Heart Rate Values	Change from baseline/start time to approximately 1.5 hours	A continuous heart rate monitor (Polar H9 Heart Rate Sensor) will be used to measure heart rate throughout the time trial (beats per minute).
Percent Change in Blood Lactate Pre-to-Post Time Trial	Percent change from baseline/start time to approximately 1.5 hours	Measured by subtracting post-blood lactate from pre-blood lactate and dividing by pre-blood lactate, then multiplying by 100 to convert to a percentage (percent change in lactate).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Body Weight Pre-to-Post Time Trial	Baseline/start time to approximately 1.5 hours	Body weight (kg)
Acute Dietary Intake	Day before visit 2, Day before visit 3, Day before visit 4	One-day food logs will be used to record all foods and beverages consumed the day before testing days.
Subjective Sensory Feelings by Treatment	At the end of each testing visit (days 1-3)	Subjective feelings related to the sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness, savories, and pleasantness of intervention food are measured by visual analog scales (mm) and generalized labeled magnitude scales (mm). Both scales are measured from 0-100 mm. Higher ratings indicate higher sensory scores.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Georgia; 🇺🇸 Athens, Georgia, United States