Gender differences in carbohydrate loading are related to energy intake

J Appl Physiol (1985). 2001 Jul;91(1):225-30. doi: 10.1152/jappl.2001.91.1.225.

Abstract

We demonstrated that female endurance athletes did not increase their muscle glycogen concentration after an increase in the dietary carbohydrate intake (58 --> 74%), whereas men did (Tarnopolsky MA, SA Atkinson, SM Phillips, and JD McDougall, J Appl Physiol 78: 1360-1368, 1995). This may have been related to a lower energy or carbohydrate intake by the women or due to an inherent gender difference in glycogen storage capacity. We examined whether well-trained men (n = 6) and women (n = 6) increased muscle glycogen concentration after an increase in both the relative (58 --> 75%) and absolute energy and carbohydrate intake and whether potential gender differences were related to muscle hexokinase enzyme activity. Subjects were randomly allocated to three diets [Hab, habitual; CHO, high carbohydrate (75%); and CHO + E, extra energy + CHO ( upward arrow~34%)] for a 4-day period before a muscle biopsy for analysis of total and pro- and macroglycogen and hexokinase activity. Total glycogen concentration was higher for the men on the CHO and CHO + E trials compared with Hab (P < 0.05), whereas women increased only on the CHO + E trial compared with Hab (P < 0.05). There were no gender differences in the proportion of pro- and macroglycogen or hexokinase activity. A low energy intake may explain the previously reported lower capacity for women to glycogen load compared with men.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diet
  • Dietary Carbohydrates / administration & dosage*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Energy Intake*
  • Female
  • Glycogen / metabolism
  • Hexokinase / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / enzymology
  • Sex Characteristics*

Substances

  • Dietary Carbohydrates
  • Glycogen
  • Hexokinase