Effects of sleeping with reduced carbohydrate availability on acute training responses.

We determined the effects of "periodized nutrition" on skeletal muscle and whole body responses to a bout of prolonged exercise the following morning. Seven cyclists completed two trials receiving isoenergetic diets differing in the timing of ingestion: they consumed either 8 g/kg body mass (BM) of carbohydrate (CHO) before undertaking an evening session of high-intensity training (HIT) and slept without eating (FASTED), or consumed 4 g/kg BM of CHO before HIT, then 4 g/kg BM of CHO before sleeping (FED). The next morning subjects completed 2 h of cycling (120SS) while overnight fasted. Muscle biopsies were taken on day 1 (D1) before and 2 h after HIT and on day 2 (D2) pre-, post-, and 4 h after 120SS. Muscle [glycogen] was higher in FED at all times post-HIT (P < 0.001). The cycling bouts increased PGC1α mRNA and PDK4 mRNA (P < 0.01) in both trials, with PDK4 mRNA being elevated to a greater extent in FASTED (P < 0.05). Resting phosphorylation of AMPK(Thr172), p38MAPK(Thr180/Tyr182), and p-ACC(Ser79) (D2) was greater in FASTED (P < 0.05). Fat oxidation during 120SS was higher in FASTED (P = 0.01), coinciding with increases in ACC(Ser79) and CPT1 as well as mRNA expression of CD36 and FABP3 (P < 0.05). Methylation on the gene promoter for COX4I1 and FABP3 increased 4 h after 120SS in both trials, whereas methylation of the PPARδ promoter increased only in FASTED. We provide evidence for shifts in DNA methylation that correspond with inverse changes in transcription for metabolically adaptive genes, although delaying postexercise feeding failed to augment markers of mitochondrial biogenesis.

Single and combined effects of beetroot juice and caffeine supplementation on cycling time trial performance.

Both caffeine and beetroot juice have ergogenic effects on endurance cycling performance. We investigated whether there is an additive effect of these supplements on the performance of a cycling time trial (TT) simulating the 2012 London Olympic Games course. Twelve male and 12 female competitive cyclists each completed 4 experimental trials in a double-blind Latin square design. Trials were undertaken with a caffeinated gum (CAFF) (3 mg·kg(-1) body mass (BM), 40 min prior to the TT), concentrated beetroot juice supplementation (BJ) (8.4 mmol of nitrate (NO3(-)), 2 h prior to the TT), caffeine plus beetroot juice (CAFF+BJ), or a control (CONT). Subjects completed the TT (females: 29.35 km; males: 43.83 km) on a laboratory cycle ergometer under conditions of best practice nutrition: following a carbohydrate-rich pre-event meal, with the ingestion of a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink and regular oral carbohydrate contact during the TT. Compared with CONT, power output was significantly enhanced after CAFF+BJ and CAFF (3.0% and 3.9%, respectively, p < 0.01). There was no effect of BJ supplementation when used alone (-0.4%, p = 0.6 compared with CONT) or when combined with caffeine (-0.9%, p = 0.4 compared with CAFF). We conclude that caffeine (3 mg·kg(-1) BM) administered in the form of a caffeinated gum increased cycling TT performance lasting ∼50-60 min by ∼3%-4% in both males and females. Beetroot juice supplementation was not ergogenic under the conditions of this study.

Caffeine ingestion and cycling power output in a low or normal muscle glycogen state.

PURPOSE: Commencing selected workouts with low muscle glycogen availability augments several markers of training adaptation compared with undertaking the same sessions with normal glycogen content. However, low glycogen availability reduces the capacity to perform high-intensity (>85% of peak aerobic power (VO2 peak)) endurance exercise. We determined whether a low dose of caffeine could partially rescue the reduction in maximal self-selected power output observed when individuals commenced high-intensity interval training with low (LOW) compared with normal (NORM) glycogen availability. METHODS: Twelve endurance-trained cyclists/triathletes performed four experimental trials using a double-blind Latin square design. Muscle glycogen content was manipulated via exercise-diet interventions so that two experimental trials were commenced with LOW and two with NORM muscle glycogen availability. Sixty minutes before an experimental trial, subjects ingested a capsule containing anhydrous caffeine (CAFF, 3 mg · kg(-1) body mass) or placebo (PLBO). Instantaneous power output was measured throughout high-intensity interval training (8 × 5-min bouts at maximum self-selected intensity with 1-min recovery). RESULTS: There were significant main effects for both preexercise glycogen content and caffeine ingestion on power output. LOW reduced power output by approximately 8% compared with NORM (P < 0.01), whereas caffeine increased power output by 2.8% and 3.5% for NORM and LOW, respectively, (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: We conclude that caffeine enhanced power output independently of muscle glycogen concentration but could not fully restore power output to levels commensurate with that when subjects commenced exercise with normal glycogen availability. However, the reported increase in power output does provide a likely performance benefit and may provide a means to further enhance the already augmented training response observed when selected sessions are commenced with reduced muscle glycogen availability.

Effect of a carbohydrate mouth rinse on simulated cycling time-trial performance commenced in a fed or fasted state.

It is presently unclear whether the reported ergogenic effect of a carbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinse on cycling time-trial performance is affected by the acute nutritional status of an individual. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a CHO mouth rinse on a 60-min simulated cycling time-trial performance commenced in a fed or fasted state. Twelve competitive male cyclists each completed 4 experimental trials using a double-blinded Latin square design. Two trials were commenced 2 h after a meal that contained 2.5 g·kg(-1) body mass of CHO (FED) and 2 after an overnight fast (FST). Prior to and after every 12.5% of total time during a performance ride, either a 10% maltodextrin (CHO) or a taste-matched placebo (PLB) solution was mouth rinsed for 10 s then immediately expectorated. There were significant main effects for both pre-ride nutritional status (FED vs. FST; p < 0.01) and CHO mouth rinse (CHO vs. PLB; p < 0.01) on power output with an interaction evident between the interventions (p < 0.05). The CHO mouth rinse improved mean power to a greater extent after an overnight fast (282 vs. 273 W, 3.4%; p < 0.01) compared with a fed state (286 vs. 281 W, 1.8%; p < 0.05). We concluded that a CHO mouth rinse improved performance to a greater extent in a fasted compared with a fed state; however, optimal performance was achieved in a fed state with the addition of a CHO mouth rinse.