No Superior Adaptations to Carbohydrate Periodization in Elite Endurance Athletes

Gejl, Kasper Degn; Thams, Line; Hansen, Mette; Rokkedal-Lausch, Torben; Plomgaard, Peter; Nybo, Lars; Larsen, Filip J.; Cardinale, Daniele A.; Jensen, Kurt; Holmberg, Hans‐Christer; Vissing, Kristian; Ørtenblad, Niels

doi:10.1249/mss.0000000000001377

Cited by 42 publications

(94 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Despite the acute effects of the sleep‐low model versus high carbohydrate availability on whole‐body fat oxidation rate during CON, repeating the sleep‐low model did not translate into sustained improvement of fat oxidative rate during exercise in the fed state. This confirms results from previous sleep‐low studies and another study using CHO periodization, but contradict others reporting increased fat oxidation rate in the fasted state using other diet‐exercise strategies . We therefore speculate whether training repeatedly with low CHO availability may increase the ability to oxidize fat during exercise specifically when CHO availability is low, such as in a fasted state.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Although we did not observe a superior effect of the sleep‐low model on endurance performance, an interesting observation was that all thirteen participants improved performance post‐intervention. With endurance performance tests of this type, a common observation is that some participants show performance decrements despite having completed a training intervention . This could partly explain the short‐term effect of the sleep‐low model on endurance performance reported elsewhere, where two participants in the control group decreased performance post‐intervention .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The rationale for this setup is that training quality for high‐intensity training is dependent on CHO availability, and that training with low endogenous and exogenous CHO availability induced by intense exercise and CHO restriction during recovery optimizes peripheral training adaptations, targeting mitochondrial biogenesis . Although improvements of endurance performance have been reported with the sleep‐low model, a recent well‐controlled, prolonged study of periodized CHO intake during daytime did not find performance benefits in endurance athletes . Additionally, the effects of the sleep‐low model in cyclists have only been investigated in a 1‐week intervention, where endurance performance was tested with a 20‐km time trial (TT) performed after 120 minutes of exercise at moderate intensity .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Acute and sustained effects of a periodized carbohydrate intake using the sleep‐low model in endurance‐trained males

Riis

Møller

Dollerup

et al. 2019

Scandinavian Med Sci Sports

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Repeated periodization of carbohydrate (CHO) intake using a diet‐exercise strategy called the sleep‐low model can potentially induce mitochondrial biogenesis and improve endurance performance in endurance‐trained individuals. However, more studies are needed to confirm the performance‐related effects and to investigate the sustained effects on maximal fat oxidation (MFO) rate and proteins involved in intramuscular lipid metabolism. Thirteen endurance‐trained males (age 23‐44 years; trueV˙O2‐max, 63.9 ± 4.6 mL·kg−1·min−1) were randomized into two groups: sleep‐low (LOW‐CHO) or high CHO availability (HIGH‐CHO) in three weekly training blocks over 4 weeks. The acute metabolic response was investigated during 60 minutes of exercise within the last 3 weeks of the intervention. Pre‐ and post‐intervention, 30‐minute time‐trial performance was investigated after a 90‐minute pre‐load, which as a novel approach included nine intense intervals (and estimation of MFO). Additionally, muscle biopsies (v. lateralis) were obtained to investigate expression of proteins involved in intramuscular lipid metabolism using Western blotting. During acute exercise, average fat oxidation rate was ~36% higher in LOW‐CHO compared to HIGH‐CHO (P = .03). This did not translate into sustained effects on MFO. Time‐trial performance increased equally in both groups (overall time effect: P = .005). We observed no effect on intramuscular proteins involved in lipolysis (ATGL, G0S2, CGI‐58, HSL) or fatty acid transport and β‐oxidation (CD‐36 and HAD, respectively). In conclusion, the sleep‐low model did not induce sustained effects on MFO, endurance performance, or proteins involved in intramuscular lipid metabolism when compared to HIGH‐CHO. Our study therefore questions the transferability of acute effects of the sleep‐low model to superior sustained adaptations.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Acute and sustained effects of a periodized carbohydrate intake using the sleep‐low model in endurance‐trained males

Riis

Møller

Dollerup

et al. 2019

Scandinavian Med Sci Sports

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“…), which proposes that the acute cell signalling (Gejl et al . ) and chronic training adaptations (Hansen et al . ; Yeo et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post‐exercise carbohydrate and energy availability induce independent effects on skeletal muscle cell signalling and bone turnover: implications for training adaptation

Hammond

Sale

Fraser

et al. 2019

The Journal of Physiology

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Key points Reduced carbohydrate (CHO) availability before and after exercise may augment endurance training‐induced adaptations of human skeletal muscle, as mediated via modulation of cell signalling pathways. However, it is not known whether such responses are mediated by CHO restriction, energy restriction or a combination of both. In recovery from a twice per day training protocol where muscle glycogen concentration is maintained within 200–350 mmol kg−1 dry weight (dw), we demonstrate that acute post‐exercise CHO and energy restriction (i.e. < 24 h) does not potentiate potent cell signalling pathways that regulate hallmark adaptations associated with endurance training. In contrast, consuming CHO before, during and after an acute training session attenuated markers of bone resorption, effects that are independent of energy availability. Whilst the enhanced muscle adaptations associated with CHO restriction may be regulated by absolute muscle glycogen concentration, the acute within‐day fluctuations in CHO availability inherent to twice per day training may have chronic implications for bone turnover. Abstract We examined the effects of post‐exercise carbohydrate (CHO) and energy availability (EA) on potent skeletal muscle cell signalling pathways (regulating mitochondrial biogenesis and lipid metabolism) and indicators of bone metabolism. In a repeated measures design, nine males completed a morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) high‐intensity interval (HIT) (8 × 5 min at 85% V̇O2 peak ) running protocol (interspersed by 3.5 h) under dietary conditions of (1) high CHO availability (HCHO: CHO ∼12 g kg−1, EA∼ 60 kcal kg−1 fat free mass (FFM)), (2) reduced CHO but high fat availability (LCHF: CHO ∼3 (−1, EA∼ 60 kcal kg−1 FFM) or (3), reduced CHO and reduced energy availability (LCAL: CHO ∼3 g kg−1, EA∼ 20 kcal kg−1 FFM). Muscle glycogen was reduced to ∼200 mmol kg−1 dw in all trials immediately post PM HIT (P < 0.01) and remained lower at 17 h (171, 194 and 316 mmol kg−1 dw) post PM HIT in LCHF and LCAL (P < 0.001) compared to HCHO. Exercise induced comparable p38MAPK phosphorylation (P < 0.05) immediately post PM HIT and similar mRNA expression (all P < 0.05) of PGC‐1α, p53 and CPT1 mRNA in HCHO, LCHF and LCAL. Post‐exercise circulating βCTX was lower in HCHO (P < 0.05) compared to LCHF and LCAL whereas exercise‐induced increases in IL‐6 were larger in LCAL (P < 0.05) compared to LCHF and HCHO. In conditions where glycogen concentration is maintained within 200–350 mmol kg−1 dw, we conclude post‐exercise CHO and energy restriction (i.e. < 24 h) does not potentiate cell signalling pathways that regulate hallmark adaptations associated with endurance training. In contrast, consuming CHO before, during and after HIT running attenuates bone resorption, effects that are independent of energy availability and circulating IL‐6.

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“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] While these responses are affected by the nature of the exercise (eg, the exercise intensity 2,9,10 ), there is evidence substrate availability is also a potent modulator of this response. However, although the "train-low" strategy has been reported to potentiate skeletal muscle signaling responses related to mitochondrial biogenesis, 17,[21][22][23] there are also contrasting findings showing no effects 24,25 and a consensus is yet to be reached. However, although the "train-low" strategy has been reported to potentiate skeletal muscle signaling responses related to mitochondrial biogenesis, 17,[21][22][23] there are also contrasting findings showing no effects 24,25 and a consensus is yet to be reached.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exercise twice‐a‐day potentiates markers of mitochondrial biogenesis in men

et al. 2019

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Endurance exercise begun with reduced muscle glycogen stores seems to potentiate skeletal muscle protein abundance and gene expression. However, it is unknown whether this greater signaling responses is due to performing two exercise sessions in close proximity—as a first exercise session is necessary to reduce the muscle glycogen stores. In the present study, we manipulated the recovery duration between a first muscle glycogen‐depleting exercise and a second exercise session, such that the second exercise session started with reduced muscle glycogen in both approaches but was performed either 2 or 15 hours after the first exercise session (so‐called “twice‐a‐day” and “once‐daily” approaches, respectively). We found that exercise twice‐a‐day increased the nuclear abundance of transcription factor EB (TFEB) and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and potentiated the transcription of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐ɣ coactivator 1‐alpha (PGC‐1α), peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐alpha (PPARα), and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor beta/delta (PPARβ/δ) genes, in comparison with the once‐daily exercise. These results suggest that part of the elevated molecular signaling reported with previous “train‐low” approaches might be attributed to performing two exercise sessions in close proximity. The twice‐a‐day approach might be an effective strategy to induce adaptations related to mitochondrial biogenesis and fat oxidation.

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No Superior Adaptations to Carbohydrate Periodization in Elite Endurance Athletes

Abstract: Superimposing periodic CHO restriction to 4 wk of regular endurance training had no superior effects on performance and muscle adaptations in elite endurance athletes.

Cited by 42 publications

References 37 publications

Acute and sustained effects of a periodized carbohydrate intake using the sleep‐low model in endurance‐trained males

Acute and sustained effects of a periodized carbohydrate intake using the sleep‐low model in endurance‐trained males

Post‐exercise carbohydrate and energy availability induce independent effects on skeletal muscle cell signalling and bone turnover: implications for training adaptation

Exercise twice‐a‐day potentiates markers of mitochondrial biogenesis in men

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