Effects of Different Sports Supplements on Metabolism and Perceptual Responses During Distance Running

Several previous studies have shown that repeatedly ingesting carbohydrate supplements during exercise training sessions, over a period of days and weeks, can gradually increase carbohydrate oxidation and reduce gut discomfort during exercise. However, repeatedly ingesting large amounts of carbohydrate during training sessions can be burdensome and can cause gut distress. Thus, it would be advantageous if the same long-term benefits could be realized from consuming these carbohydrate supplements at rest instead of specifically during training sessions. Therefore, the goal of this study is to examine whether repeatedly ingesting a carbohydrate-rich beverage at rest over a 5-day period alters metabolism and gut symptoms while ingesting carbohydrate during exercise.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Anomalies Gastrointestinal
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Carbohydrate Beverage; Dietary supplement: Placebo Beverage

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 4
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Virginia
    • Norfolk, Virginia, United States, 23529
      • Human Performance Lab

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Be currently running ≥15 miles per week
• Have completed at least one run >60 minutes over the past month
• Have completed one or more marathons within the past year

Exclusion Criteria:

• Overt cardiovascular disease or metabolic disorder
• Adverse symptoms (e.g., unusual shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain) with exercise
• Allergies/intolerances to any of the ingredients in the beverages

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Carbohydrate Beverage; A glucose-fructose beverage mixture supplying 100 grams of carbohydrate per day for 5 days	Dietary supplement: Carbohydrate Beverage; The carbohydrate beverage will supply approximately 100 grams of carbohydrate per day (in the form of glucose and fructose)
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Beverage; An artificially-sweetened beverage containing aspartame	Dietary supplement: Placebo Beverage; The placebo beverage will contain aspartame.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Gastrointestinal Symptom Ratings	Symptoms such as nausea, fullness, belching, reflux, abdominal cramps, flatulence, and urge to defecate will be recorded on a 0-10 scale (0 = no discomfort, 10 = unbearable discomfort).	Symptoms will be collected during a 60 minute run on a treadmill at a baseline visit and at a second visit after ingesting the carbohydrate or placebo beverage for 5 days.
Change in Hydrogen Breath Production	Samples of expired air will be tested for hydrogen levels, a marker of carbohydrate malabsorption	Samples will be collected before after a 60-minute run at a baseline visit and at a second visit after ingesting the carbohydrate or placebo beverage for 5 days.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Carbohydrate Oxidation	Respiratory gases will be used to estimate carbohydrate oxidation rates.	Respiratory gases will be collected during each 60-minute run at a baseline visit and at a second visit after ingesting the carbohydrate or placebo beverage for 5 days.
Change in Feeling Scale	A bipolar scale ranging from -5 (very bad) to +5 (very good)	Ratings will be collected collected before and during each 60-minute run at a baseline visit and at a second visit after ingesting the carbohydrate or placebo beverage for 5 days.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Old Dominion University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Patrick Wilson, PhD, Old Dominion University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 17, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): February 17, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 28, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 12, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): July 24, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 17, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 1223706-2

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No