Medicine and science in sports and exerciseFeb 1, 1987

How different carbohydrate drinks affect cycling performance and energy storage use

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗

Updated Apr 5, 2026

Abstract

Blood glucose levels were significantly higher at 60 minutes in trials with carbohydrate solutions compared to water.

Eight male cyclists participated in trials to assess how carbohydrate feedings impact exercise performance and muscle glycogen use.
Exercise included a 60-minute depletion ride followed by 2 hours of cycling while consuming different carbohydrate solutions.
Initial and 90-minute glycogen levels were similar across trials, indicating no significant impact from carbohydrate type on glycogen use.
At 60 minutes, blood glucose was significantly elevated in trials with maltodextrin combined with fructose or glucose compared to water.
Elevated blood glucose levels persisted longer with certain carbohydrate combinations, specifically maltodextrin and fructose.

Simplified

Eight well-trained male cyclists were used to determine the influence of carbohydrate feedings on exercise performance and muscle glycogen use. Two days prior to each trial, the subjects performed a 60-min "depletion ride" at 70% VO2max, which was followed by the ingestion of a high carbohydrate diet (approximately 500 g X -1). During the experimental trials, the men performed 2 h of cycling exercise and consumed 150 ml of 1 of 4 solutions at 24-min intervals. The drinks were: H2O (artificially flavored and sweetened); maltodextrin (5 g X 100 ml-1) and fructose (5 g X 100 ml-1); maltodextrin (7.7 g X 100 ml-1) and high fructose corn syrup (2.3 g X 100 ml-1); maltodextrin (3 g X 100 ml-1 and glucose (2 g X 100 ml-1). The amount of work completed during the four trials was not significantly different. Initial glycogen levels were high, and glycogen values were not significantly different at the beginning of exercise or at 90 min (185.35 +/- 3.26 and 91.93 +/- 3.39, respectively). Blood glucose was greater at 60 min in trial maltodextrin and glucose (5.70 +/- 0.36 mmoles X l-1), maltodextrin and high fructose corn syrup (6.05 +/- 0.54), and maltodextrin and fructose (6.03 +/- 0.42) compared to H2O (4.97 +/- 0.35) (P less than 0.05). Blood glucose remained elevated at 90 min during the maltodextrin and fructose and maltodextrin and high fructose corn syrup trials and at 120 min in the maltodextrin and fructose trial. No differences were observed between trials in blood lactate, serum glycerol, respiratory exchange ratio, or the subjects' perception of effort.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

How different carbohydrate drinks affect cycling performance and energy storage use

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