FueL Use During eXercise in Males and Females (FLUX)

September 14, 2026 updated by: Jenna Gillen, University of Toronto

Influence of Pre-exercise Nutrition on Exercise Fuel Use in Males and Females

This study will investigate whether pre-exercise nutrition influences sex differences in fuel utilization during endurance exercise. Twenty-four recreationally active adults (12 females and 12 males) will complete three experimental exercise trials in a randomized, counterbalanced crossover design. Before each trial, participants will consume either a carbohydrate beverage, a protein-based beverage, or a flavour-matched non-caloric beverage representing the fasted condition. Thirty minutes later, participants will complete 90 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling followed by a cycling time-to-task-failure test. Whole-body carbohydrate and fat oxidation, exogenous substrate oxidation, blood metabolites, and exercise performance will be assessed.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Sex differences in substrate utilization during fasted endurance exercise are well established, with females generally demonstrating greater reliance on fat oxidation and lower carbohydrate utilization than males. However, exercise is frequently performed following nutrient ingestion, and it remains unclear whether sex differences in substrate utilization persist when carbohydrate or protein is consumed before exercise.

This randomized, counterbalanced crossover study will compare three pre-exercise nutritional conditions: carbohydrate (CHO), protein (PRO), and fasted/placebo (FAST). Participants will complete each condition separated by a minimum three-day washout. Following an overnight fast, participants will consume the assigned beverage and rest for 30 minutes before completing 90 minutes of cycling at 65% of VO2peak. This will be followed by a two-minute rest and a cycling time-to-task-failure test at 85% of maximal work rate.

The primary objective is to determine whether pre-exercise nutrition modifies sex differences in whole-body carbohydrate and fat oxidation and exogenous substrate oxidation during exercise. A secondary objective is to determine the effects of pre-exercise nutrition and sex on subsequent exercise performance.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

24

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Participating in ≥150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week
  • VO₂peak classified as "good" or above based on American College of Sports Medicine normative values: >35.0 mL/kg/min for females and >39.0 mL/kg/min for males
  • Body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 27 kg/m²
  • Participating in 3-5 structured exercise sessions per week
  • Weight stable, defined as within ±2 kg for at least 6 months
  • Non-smoker
  • Females must be eumenorrheic

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis Current use of oral contraceptives or oral contraceptive use within the previous 3 months Diagnosed cardiovascular or metabolic disease Hypergonadism or hypogonadism Use of medications for management of blood glucose or lipid metabolism Pregnant or <12 months postpartum Lactating or breastfeeding within 3 months of study commencement Menopausal Recreational tobacco smoking Inability to complete the study exercise protocols or comply with pre-trial dietary or physical activity controls Use of medications that may affect substrate metabolism, including corticosteroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) Currently following a low-carbohydrate diet, such as a ketogenic or Atkins diet

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Carbohydrate (CHO)
Participants will consume a carbohydrate beverage following an overnight fast. Thirty minutes after beverage consumption, participants will complete 90 minutes of cycling at 65% of VO2peak, followed by a 2-minute rest and a cycling time-to-task-failure test at 85% of maximal work rate.
Dietary supplement: Pre-exercise carbohydrate beverage
A carbohydrate beverage providing 1 g glucose/kg body mass, enriched with 1 mg/kg body mass [U-13C6]-D-glucose for assessment of exogenous carbohydrate oxidation, with calorie-free flavouring. The beverage will be consumed within 5 minutes, 30 minutes before exercise.
Experimental: Protein (PRO)
Participants will consume a protein-based beverage following an overnight fast. Thirty minutes after beverage consumption, participants will complete 90 minutes of cycling at 65% of VO2peak, followed by a 2-minute rest and a cycling time-to-task-failure test at 85% of maximal work rate.
Dietary supplement: Pre-exercise protein beverage
A protein-based beverage providing 0.45 g protein/kg body mass and supplemented with 0.24 g fat/kg body mass to match the energy content of the carbohydrate condition. The beverage is enriched with L-[1-13C]leucine and flavour-matched to the carbohydrate beverage. It will be consumed within 5 minutes, 30 minutes before exercise.
Placebo Comparator: Fasted (FAST)
Participants will remain fasted and consume a non-caloric, flavour-matched beverage. Thirty minutes after beverage consumption, participants will complete 90 minutes of cycling at 65% of VO2peak, followed by a 2-minute rest and a cycling time-to-task-failure test at 85% of maximal work rate.
Other: Fasted control beverage
A non-caloric beverage consisting of water and sugar-free flavouring, flavour-matched to the carbohydrate beverage. The beverage will be consumed within 5 minutes following an overnight fast, 30 minutes before exercise.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Whole-body carbohydrate oxidation
Time Frame: During the 90-minute exercise bout
Whole-body carbohydrate oxidation will be calculated from oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) measured by indirect calorimetry during 90 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling. Carbohydrate oxidation will be compared between the carbohydrate, protein, and fasted conditions and between females and males.
During the 90-minute exercise bout
Whole-body fat oxidation
Time Frame: During the 90-min exercise bout
Whole-body fat oxidation will be calculated from VO2 and VCO2 measured by indirect calorimetry during 90 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling. Fat oxidation will be compared between the carbohydrate, protein, and fasted conditions and between females and males.
During the 90-min exercise bout
Exogenous glucose oxidation
Time Frame: During the 90-min exercise bout
Exogenous glucose oxidation will be determined during the carbohydrate condition using breath 13CO2 enrichment following ingestion of [U-13C6]-D-glucose. Breath samples will be analyzed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and exogenous glucose oxidation will be calculated using 13CO2 enrichment and carbon dioxide production.
During the 90-min exercise bout
Exogenous leucine oxidation
Time Frame: During the 90-min exercise bout
Exogenous leucine oxidation will be determined during the protein condition using breath ¹³CO₂ enrichment following ingestion of L-[1-¹³C]leucine. Breath samples will be analyzed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and exogenous leucine oxidation will be calculated using breath ¹³CO₂ enrichment and carbon dioxide production.
During the 90-min exercise bout

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to task failure
Time Frame: Immediately following the 90-min exercise bout
Exercise performance will be assessed as time to volitional exhaustion during a cycling time-to-task-failure test performed at 85% of maximal work rate following the 90-minute moderate-intensity cycling bout.
Immediately following the 90-min exercise bout

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Toronto

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jenna Gillen, PhD, University of Toronto

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

September 30, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 14, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 14, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

September 18, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

September 18, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 14, 2026

Last Verified

September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HSREB50670

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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