Trehalose Improved 20-min Cycling Time-Trial Performance After 100-min Cycling in Amateur Cyclists

• Published in: International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism 2024-07, Vol.34 (4), p.199-206
• Main Authors: de Oliveira, Nathan Gobbi, de Oliveira, Luana Farias, da Silva, Rafael Pires, Oliveira, Tamires Nunes, Möller, Gabriella Berwig, Murasaki, Juliana, Ramires, Manoel Antônio, Azevedo, Rafael de Almeida, Artioli, Guilherme Giannini, Roschel, Hamilton, Gualano, Bruno, Saunders, Bryan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Athletic Performance - physiology; Bicycling - physiology; Blood Glucose - drug effects; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Cross-Over Studies; Dietary Carbohydrates - administration & dosage; Dietary Supplements; Double-Blind Method; Glycemic Index; Glycogen - metabolism; Heart Rate - drug effects; Humans; Isomaltose - administration & dosage; Isomaltose - analogs & derivatives; Isomaltose - pharmacology; Lactic Acid - blood; Male; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Performance-Enhancing Substances - administration & dosage; Performance-Enhancing Substances - pharmacology; Physical Endurance - drug effects; Physical Endurance - physiology; Physical Exertion - drug effects; Physical Exertion - physiology; Polysaccharides - administration & dosage; Polysaccharides - pharmacology; Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Trehalose - administration & dosage; Trehalose - pharmacology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1526-484X; 1543-2742; 1543-2742
• DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2023-0241

Carbohydrate (CHO) supplementation during endurance exercise can improve performance. However, it is unclear whether low glycemic index (GI) CHO leads to differential ergogenic and metabolic effects compared with a standard high GI CHO. This study investigated the ergogenic and metabolic effects of CHO supplementation with distinct GIs, namely, (a) trehalose (30 g/hr), (b) isomaltulose (30 g/hr), (c) maltodextrin (60 g/hr), and (d) placebo (water). In this double-blind, crossover, counterbalanced, placebo-controlled study, 13 male cyclists cycled a total of 100 min at varied exercise intensity (i.e., 10-min stages at 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 W/kg; repeated three times plus two 5-min stages at 1.0 W/kg before and after the protocol), followed by a 20-min time trial on four separated occasions. Blood glucose and lactate (every 20 min), heart rate, and ratings of perceived exertion were collected throughout, and muscle biopsies were taken before and immediately after exercise. The results showed that trehalose improved time-trial performance compared with placebo (total work done 302 ± 39 vs. 287 ± 48 kJ; p = .01), with no other differences between sessions (all p ≥ .07). Throughout the 100-min protocol, blood glucose was higher with maltodextrin compared with the other supplements at all time points (all p < .05). Heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion, muscle glycogen content, blood glucose, and lactate were not different between conditions when considering the 20-min time trial (all p > .05). Trehalose supplementation throughout endurance exercise improved cycling performance and appears to be an appropriate CHO source for exercise tasks up to 2 hr. No ergogenic superiority between the different types of CHO was established.