Oxidation of combined ingestion of glucose and fructose during exercise

J Appl Physiol (1985). 2004 Apr;96(4):1277-84. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00974.2003. Epub 2003 Dec 2.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether combined ingestion of a large amount of fructose and glucose during cycling exercise would lead to exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates >1 g/min. Eight trained cyclists (maximal O(2) consumption: 62 +/- 3 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)) performed four exercise trials in random order. Each trial consisted of 120 min of cycling at 50% maximum power output (63 +/- 2% maximal O(2) consumption), while subjects received a solution providing either 1.2 g/min of glucose (Med-Glu), 1.8 g/min of glucose (High-Glu), 0.6 g/min of fructose + 1.2 g/min of glucose (Fruc+Glu), or water. The ingested fructose was labeled with [U-(13)C]fructose, and the ingested glucose was labeled with [U-(14)C]glucose. Peak exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates were approximately 55% higher (P < 0.001) in Fruc+Glu (1.26 +/- 0.07 g/min) compared with Med-Glu and High-Glu (0.80 +/- 0.04 and 0.83 +/- 0.05 g/min, respectively). Furthermore, the average exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates over the 60- to 120-min exercise period were higher (P < 0.001) in Fruc+Glu compared with Med-Glu and High-Glu (1.16 +/- 0.06, 0.75 +/- 0.04, and 0.75 +/- 0.04 g/min, respectively). There was a trend toward a lower endogenous carbohydrate oxidation in Fruc+Glu compared with the other two carbohydrate trials, but this failed to reach statistical significance (P = 0.075). The present results demonstrate that, when fructose and glucose are ingested simultaneously at high rates during cycling exercise, exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates can reach peak values of approximately 1.3 g/min.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adult
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Carbohydrate Metabolism
  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Carbon Radioisotopes
  • Dietary Carbohydrates / metabolism
  • Drug Combinations
  • Exercise / physiology*
  • Fats / metabolism
  • Fructose / administration & dosage*
  • Fructose / metabolism*
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / epidemiology
  • Glucose / administration & dosage*
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Lactates / blood
  • Male
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxygen Consumption
  • Pulmonary Gas Exchange
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Carbon Radioisotopes
  • Dietary Carbohydrates
  • Drug Combinations
  • Fats
  • Lactates
  • Fructose
  • Glucose