Altered carbohydrate oxidation during exercise in overreached endurance athletes is applicable to training monitoring with continuous glucose monitors

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. e14551 - n/a
• Main Authors: Coates, Alexandra M., Thompson, Kyle M. A., Grigore, Monica M., Baker, Ryleigh E., Pignanelli, Christopher, Robertson, Alexa A., Frangos, Sara M., Cheung, Christian P., Burr, Jamie F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Carbohydrates; continuous glucose monitoring; cycling; Glucose; low energy availability; overtraining; Oxidation; resting metabolic rate; cycling; overtraining; resting metabolic rate; continuous glucose monitoring; low energy availability
• ISSN: 0905-7188; 1600-0838
• DOI: 10.1111/sms.14551

Purpose The purpose of the study was to investigate whether carbohydrate utilization is altered during exercise in overreached endurance athletes and examine the utility of continuous glucose monitors (CGM) to detect overreaching status. Methods Eleven endurance athletes (M:8, F:3) completed a 5‐week training block consisting of 1 week of reduced training (PRE), 3 weeks of high‐intensity overload training (POST), and 1 week of recovery training (REC). Participants completed a Lamberts and Lambert Submaximal Cycling Test (LSCT) and 5 km time‐trial at PRE, POST, and REC time points, 15 min following the ingestion of a 50 g glucose beverage with glucose recorded each minute via CGM. Results Performance in the 5 km time‐trial was reduced at POST (∆‐7 ± 10 W, p = 0.04, ηp2 = 0.35) and improved at REC (∆12 ± 9 W from PRE, p = 0.01, ηp2 = 0.66), with reductions in peak lactate (∆‐3.0 ± 2.0 mmol/L, p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.71), peak HR (∆‐6 ± 3 bpm, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.86), and Hooper‐Mackinnon well‐being scores (∆10 ± 5 a.u., p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.79), indicating athletes were functionally overreached. The respiratory exchange ratio was suppressed at POST relative to REC during the 60% (POST: 0.80 ± 0.05, REC: 0.87 ± 0.05, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.74), and 80% (POST: 0.93 ± 0.05, REC: 1.00 ± 0.05, p = 0.003, ηp2 = 0.68) of HR‐matched submaximal stages of the LSCT. CGM glucose was reduced during HR‐matched submaximal exercise in the LSCT at POST (p = 0.047, ηp2 = 0.36), but not the 5 km time‐trial (p = 0.07, ηp2 = 0.28) in overreached athletes. Conclusion This preliminary investigation demonstrates a reduction in CGM‐derived glucose and carbohydrate oxidation during submaximal exercise in overreached athletes. The use of CGM during submaximal exercise following standardized nutrition could be employed as a monitoring tool to detect overreaching in endurance athletes.