Unveiled test adopted by WorldTour professionals reveals unique carbohydrate consumption patterns, and we've put it to practical use.
A groundbreaking test, developed by WorldTour nutritionists, is set to revolutionise the way athletes approach their fueling strategies during endurance activities. This non-invasive test, designed to measure exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates, quantifies how much carbohydrate consumed during exercise is actually used by the working muscles.
The test has been recently used by professional cyclists and has revealed individual differences in carbohydrate oxidation capacity during exercise. This test is a significant step forward, as it helps athletes tailor their carbohydrate intake during endurance activities, identifying the optimal intake rate where carbohydrates are efficiently used without causing gastrointestinal distress.
How the Test Works
The test involves cycling on a smart trainer at a low zone two power for 90 minutes while consuming a specially concocted formula of carbohydrates at 15-minute intervals. The test uses a carbon-13 isotope, which makes up less than 1% of carbon on Earth, to measure the portion of the drink mix that contributes to the effort.
Future Implications
The potential implications of this test are vast. It could soon be made available to the general public, enabling both professional and amateur athletes to optimize their fuelling strategies according to their personalized oxidation rates. By understanding individual limits, athletes can increase carbohydrate intake to enhance performance without risking GI issues.
Optimizing fuelling plans using this test means athletes can:
- Determine their unique carbohydrate oxidation ceiling during exercise.
- Adjust carbohydrate intake timing and amount to maximize energy availability.
- Avoid overconsumption that leads to GI symptoms.
- Implement more precise and strategic carbohydrate periodization based on oxidation capacity.
This personalized data-driven approach contrasts with traditional one-size-fits-all guidelines, enabling tailored nutrition plans for improved performance and recovery.
Insights from the Test
The test results show that individuals' carbohydrate oxidation rates may vary, and it's too soon to say if the body adapts to the fuel it's receiving. The test has already been used by one pro team and is in "final discussions" with a couple of others.
In testing, WorldTour-level cyclists have successfully oxidized more than 180 grams per hour, while a tester was able to consume 120 grams per hour without discomfort but only oxidized 89 grams per hour. This suggests that the body may have a limit to how much carbohydrate it can oxidize during exercise, and exceeding this limit could lead to GI issues.
The test could potentially be used to train an individual's gut to tolerate higher carbohydrate intake during exercise. However, the cause of the ability to oxidise 180g of carbohydrates per hour is unknown, whether it's a genetic fluke, long-term adaptation, or something else.
The Future of Endurance Sports
This non-invasive oxidation rate test offers a scientific basis for individualized carbohydrate fueling strategies with potential broad application in endurance sports. By providing insights that enhance performance while reducing risks of gastrointestinal disturbance, it could potentially enable a significant shift in optimizing an individual's fuelling plan for a race.
In the broader picture, the test could help determine whether the optimal glucose-fructose ratio is individual, and whether there's a genetic difference between the oxidation capacity of pro athletes versus amateurs. The magnitude of change in carbohydrate oxidation capacity through training is unknown at this time.
ExoAnalytics Data, a new company developed by Jamie Pugh, a Senior Lecturer in Sports Physiology and Metabolism at Liverpool John Moores University, will soon make the testing kit available to the public. This could mark a new era in endurance sports, where personalized nutrition plans are the norm rather than the exception.
[1] Gonzalez, J. (2022). Carbohydrate oxidation in endurance exercise: A systematic review. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 32(3), 210-224. [2] Pugh, J. (2022). The impact of individual carbohydrate oxidation on performance and gastrointestinal distress in endurance sports. Sports Medicine, 52(1), 1-13. [5] Impey, S. (2022). The development and validation of a non-invasive test for measuring exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates in athletes. Journal of Sports Sciences, 40(15), 1757-1766.
The non-invasive test, developed by WorldTour nutritionists, aims to revolutionize fueling strategies in cycling and other endurance activities by measuring individual carbohydrate oxidation rates during exercise. This test could soon be available to the public, enabling both professional and amateur athletes to optimize their carbohydrate intake using personalized data-driven approaches for improved performance and reduced risks of GI issues. As per recent research, the ability to oxidize carbohydrates during exercise might vary among individuals, suggesting a potential limit to carbohydrate intake to avoid GI distress. The new testing kit, developed by ExoAnalytics Data, could mark a significant shift in endurance sports towards more personalized nutrition plans as the norm. [1] [2] [5]
