NCT06742398

Carbohydrates and Running Performance

Running Performance in Response to Different Forms of Carbohydrate

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 36 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Georgia · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Carbohydrates serve as the body's primary energy source during intense exercise, and consuming carbohydrates during exercise has been shown to improve exercise performance. Previous research has shown that the presence of carbohydrates in the mouth activates sweet taste receptors on the tongue, which signal the brain to increase neural activation in areas associated with motor functioning, sensory perception, and reward centers during exercise through this CPR. The primary objective of this intervention is to establish how carbohydrates delivered in different forms (MR versus dissolvable strip (DS)) affect running performance during a 12.8km running TT.

Detailed description

This trial will be a randomized, controlled crossover design in humans. There will be four study visits (see Figure 1 below). The first visit (Baseline Visit/V1) will entail signing informed consent documents, anthropometric measurements, familiarization with the MR and DS, and the exercise protocol. For the three testing visits (V2-V4), subjects will perform a 12.8 km running TT on a motorized treadmill, with the only difference between visits being the form of treatment. Either a carbohydrate MR solution (called CMR), water MR solution as a control (called WMR), or carbohydrate DS (called CDS) will be administered at each visit in a randomized order. Study visits will be separated by at least 5 days, and all visits will take place in the Human Nutrition Lab (HNL) at the University of Georgia in Athens. Specific Aims: 1. To examine the effect of carbohydrates delivered in different forms on running performance. 2. To examine the effect of carbohydrates delivered in different forms on physiologic measures as well as perceived exertion. Hypotheses: 1. The investigators hypothesize that the carbohydrate-containing MR and DS will result in faster TT performance compared to a water MR (control). 2. The Investigators hypothesize that the carbohydrate-containing DS and MR will elicit higher HR and blood lactate levels (indicating greater levels of intensity) compared to control without significantly increasing RPE during the running TT.

Conditions

• Nutrition, Healthy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Carbohydrate Dissolvable Strip	Participants are provided with a carbohydrate dissolvable strip for every 12.5% of the time trial that is completed (calculated based on the distance covered). The carbohydrate dissolvable strip (Innsol Health Corp.) is primarily composed of sucrose and glucose; however, the full ingredient list includes pullulan, mannitol, menthol, hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose, eucalyptol, polysorbate 80, glyceryl oleate, purified water.
OTHER	Carbohydrate Mouth Rinse	Participants are provided with a carbohydrate mouth rinse for every 12.5% of the time trial that is completed (calculated based on the distance covered). The sucrose solution will consist of 64g of sucrose dissolved in 1000 mL of water, with a bolus of 25 mL being used for each mouth rinse. Each mouth rinse solution will have 2mL of red food dye FD\&C Red No. 40 to ensure the same sensory response through appearance.
OTHER	Water Mouth Rinse	Participants are provided with a water mouth rinse for every 12.5% of the time trial that is completed (calculated based on the distance covered). The water solution will consist of 1000 mL of water, with a bolus of 25 mL being used for each mouth rinse. Each mouth rinse solution will have 2mL of red food dye FD\&C Red No. 40 to ensure the same sensory response through appearance.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-02-16
• Primary completion: 2025-06-01
• Completion: 2025-06-01
• First posted: 2024-12-19
• Last updated: 2025-07-24

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States