MedPath

Carbohydrate-Protein Supplementation During Endurance Running

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Supplementation During Endurance Performance
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: CHO, CHO-P, CHO-CHO, PLA
Dietary Supplement: CHO-CHO, PLA, CHO, CHO-P
Dietary Supplement: PLA, CHO, CHO-P, CHO-CHO
Dietary Supplement: CHO-P, CHO-CHO, PLA, CHO
Registration Number
NCT00972387
Lead Sponsor
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess whether the greater performance benefits from ingesting carbohydrate-protein supplements during endurance running, in comparison to the traditionally used carbohydrate supplement, is attributed to the extra calories contained in the carbohydrate-protein supplement or the presence of protein.

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the performance benefits from consuming a carbohydrate-protein (CHO-P) supplement, such as Accelerade, during endurance exercise, as opposed to the traditionally used carbohydrate (CHO) supplement, such as Gatorade, are attributed to the extra calories in the CHO-P supplement or the presence of protein alone in comparison to CHO supplements. Numerous studies comparing CHO and CHO-P supplements on endurance performance have found contradicting results in terms of CHO-P supplementation and performance benefits. While physiological mechanisms have been proposed as to why the CHO-P supplements elicit greater performance, research has yet to determine why some studies have found this, especially while other studies have found no performance benefits from CHO-P supplementation. This inconsistency in research may be due to the caloric difference between supplements tested; due to the addition of protein, the CHO-P supplement contains more calories per serving than the CHO supplement. As a result, this study will be comparing 4 different supplements during endurance exercise, a CHO-P supplement, CHO supplement, a double carbohydrate supplement (CHO-CHO), and a placebo (PLA). The CHO and CHO-P supplement will be matched for CHO content, whereas the CHO-P and CHO-CHO supplements will be matched for total caloric content. Participants will be asked to run four 12-mile runs on 4 separate occasions, approximately 7-10 days apart, and will be blinded to supplement content and order of supplement administration among trials. The 12-mile run will elicit an exercise bout greater than 60 minutes, which is relevant when supplementing exercise with CHO or CHO-P. Performance will be assessed via time it takes to complete both the 12-mile run and the 1.6 mile maximal effort at the end of the run.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Male
Target Recruitment
12
Inclusion Criteria
  • Males aged 18-55 years old
  • BMI in the healthy range, 18.5-24.9
  • Run 45-90+ minutes at least 4 days per week
  • Engage in running this frequency and duration for at least 4 weeks prior to the phone screen
  • Engage in a run consisting ≥10 miles in length for at least 2-4 occasions per month for at least 2 months prior to the phone screen
  • No previous history of heart conditions
  • No shortness of breath or chest pain experienced during running or daily activities
  • No bone or joint problems experienced during running or daily activities
Exclusion Criteria
  • Females and males under the age of 18 and over the age of 55
  • Females are excluded from this study in order to prevent any potential factors associated with the female athlete triad and endurance performance outcomes.
  • BMI below 18.5 or greater than 24.9
  • Does not meet all other criteria listed (#3-6)
  • Allergies to products containing milk, soy, or aspartame
  • Severe allergies to eggs, wheat, tree nuts, fish, crustaceans, shellfish products (Accelerade, the CHO-P supplement, is made in a facility that processed these products)
  • Refusal to consume any of the supplements, and/or extreme dislike of the supplements
  • Refusal to complete the specified distance of the time trials

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
FACTORIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Order 1CHO, CHO-P, CHO-CHO, PLASupplement order for each time trial run, 1-4 respectively: CHO, CHO-P, CHO-CHO, PLA
Order 3CHO-CHO, PLA, CHO, CHO-PSupplement order for each time trial run, 1-4 respectively: CHO-CHO, PLA, CHO, CHO-P
Order 4PLA, CHO, CHO-P, CHO-CHOSupplement order for each time trial run, 1-4 respectively: PLA, CHO, CHO-P, CHO-CHO
Order 2CHO-P, CHO-CHO, PLA, CHOSupplement order for each time trial run, 1-4 respectively: CHO-P, CHO-CHO, PLA, CHO
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Time it takes to complete each 12-mile time trial run4 days
Time it takes to complete the 1.6 mile maximal effort at the end of the 12 mile run.4 days
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Heart Rate at the beginning of each time trial, start of the maximal effort, end of the run.4 days
Rating of perceived exertion through out the duration of the 12 mile time trial run.4 days

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Health Physical Education and Recreation Building

🇺🇸

Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath