SEARCH

Does Glycemic Index of Pre-Exercise Meal Matter? Past research has shown that exercise performance is improved after consumption of a low/moderate glycemic index meal versus a high GI meal. But these studies have not involved carbohydrate consumption during exercise. Would the GI of a pre-exercise meal still matter if carbohydrate was consumed during the workout? Researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong recently sought to answer this question.  Eight male runners completed a 21km treadmill time trial on three occasions.  Two hours before one trial they consumed a low GI meal, a high GI meal, or a low-calorie in random order. In all three trials the runners consumed a sports drink immediately prior to starting and every 2.5km. Blood samples were taken before and after each trial. There was no signficant difference in finish time among the three trials. However, the blood samples revealed that interleukin-6 levels, which were elevated 100-fold in all three trials, returned to baseline much faster after the low GI trial. In the high GI trial only, the blood glucose level did not return to the pre-exercise level within 60 minutes after the time trial was completed. Cortisol levels increased less during the low GI trial than the control trial.  These results suggest that while a low GI pre-exercise meal does not enhance performance when carbohydrate is consumed during exercise, it does reduce the physiological stress of exercise. This study was published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.

Moderate Carb Intake During Exercise Best? Cold Weather Best for Marathon Performance Sodium Phosphate Loading Improves Cycling Performance Researchers Find That Milk Is An Effective Post-Exercise Rehydration Drink Study Finds Aging Distance Runners Slow Slowly Sea Snake Fat Increases Endurance Post-Ironman Supplementation Enhances Mood State during Recovery Branched Chain Amino Acid Supplementation Reduces Muscles Damage during Running Beta-Alanine Fails to Improve Sprint Performance Carb-Protein Sports Gel Increase Endurance 13% Soy Protein Does Not Lower Testosterone Novel Glucose Beverage Enhances Post-Recovery Performance Prior Exercise, Antioxidant Supplementation Do Not Reduce Oxidative Stress in Trained Subjects Increased Environmental Oxygen Availability Boosts Cycling Performance Are Supplement Users Healthier? Study: Athletes Using Supplements for Wrong Reasons Does It Matter What Type of Creatine Supplement You Use? Creatine Loading Delays Neuromuscular Fatigue in Cycling Supplement Enhances Golf Swing More Proof Brain Causes Fatigue Beta-Alanine Falls Flat in New Study Add Free Radicals to The List of Factors That Cause Muscle Fatigue Glucose-Fructose Sports Drink More Effective than Glucose-Only Sports Drink Oral ATP Is Not Ergogenic CoQ10 Supplementation Delays Exercise Fatigue in Study Carb-Glutamine Drink Enhances Soccer Performance Caffeine Preserves Strength during Exercise in Heat Milk Is Not a Sports Drink Fish Oil Improves Heart Function in Overweight Persons Whey Protein Supplement Promotes Fat Loss Whey Protein Supplement Promotes Fat Loss What Is The Optimal Amount of Fructose in a Sports Drink? Carb-Protein Drink Increases Carb Burning in Second Workout Vitamin C Reduces Oxidative Stress during Exercise (Today, Anyway) Carb-Protein Intake during Exercise Stimulates Muscle Protein Synthesis Protein Ingestion Acelerates Post-Exercise Muscle Function Egg White Protein before Running in Heat: Useless Carb-Protein Supplementation Enhances Cycling Performance Beta-Alanine Boosts Strength-Endurance More Evidence of Exercise Benefits from Fish Oil Post-Exercise Caffeine Helps Muscles Refuel New Study on Carbs, Exercise and the Immune System Omega-3's Enhance Brain Benefits of Exercise Milk and Carb-Protein Supplements Reduce Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage Effect of Glycerol-Enhanced Sports Drink in Soccer Accelerade during Cycling Boosts Recovery New Study on GI Complaints in Runners Does Glycemic Index of Pre-Exercise Meal Matter? Resveratrol Makes Old Mice Run Young Fluid Loading Improves Cycling Performance ISSN Publishes Position Statement on Nutrient Timing Carb-Protein Supplement Stimulates Muscle Protein Synthesis during Exercise More Negative Results for Beta-Alanine Possible Explanation for Ergogenic Effect of Carb-Protein Sports Drink Carb-Protein Drink Builds Muscle After Aerobic Exercise Carb-Protein Sports Drink Better for Recovery Are Two-Sugar Sports Drinks Better? Mental Fatigue Can Affect Physical Performance Sports Drinks Boost Performance When Spat Out Carb-Protein Sports Drink Boosts Late Time Trial Performance Slow and Steady Weight Loss Wins the Race