Abstract
Background: Current carbohydrate (CHO) intake recommendations for ultra-trail activities lasting more than 2.5 h is 90 g/h. However, the benefits of ingesting 120 g/h during a mountain marathon in terms of post-exercise muscle damage have been recently demonstrated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze and compare the effects of 120 g/h CHO intake with the recommendations (90 g/h) and the usual intake for ultra-endurance athletes (60 g/h) during a mountain marathon on internal exercise load, and post-exercise neuromuscular function and recovery of high intensity run capacity. Methods: Twenty-six elite trail-runners were randomly distributed into three groups: LOW (60 g/h), MED (90 g/h) and HIGH (120 g/h), according to CHO intake during a 4000-m cumulative slope mountain marathon. Runners were measured using the Abalakov Jump test, a maximum a half-squat test and an aerobic power-capacity test at baseline (T1) and 24 h after completing the race (T2). Results: Changes in Abalakov jump time (ABKJT), Abalakov jump height (ABKH), half-squat test 1 repetition maximum (HST1RM) between T1 and T2 showed significant differences by Wilcoxon signed rank test only in LOW and MED (p < 0.05), but not in the HIGH group (p > 0.05). Internal load was significantly lower in the HIGH group (p = 0.017) regarding LOW and MED by Mann Whitney u test. A significantly lower change during the study in ABKJT (p = 0.038), ABKH (p = 0.038) HST1RM (p = 0.041) and in terms of fatigue (p = 0.018) and lactate (p = 0.012) within the aerobic power-capacity test was presented in HIGH relative to LOW and MED. Conclusions: 120 g/h CHO intake during a mountain marathon might limit neuromuscular fatigue and improve recovery of high intensity run capacity 24 h after a physiologically challenging event when compared to 90 g/h and 60 g/h.
Highlights
Participation in ultra-endurance mountain race events (>4 h) has increased in recent years [1].The different distances run by participants range from mountain marathons (42,195 m) to multistage ultra-marathons, with an accumulative altitude gain of 24,000 m during the most extreme events [2]
As CHO intake represents a possible methodology to help improve performance during exercise, and to improve recovery through different mechanisms such as limiting exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD), decreasing internal exercise load and neuromuscular fatigue, maintaining suitable levels of blood glucose and sparing muscle and hepatic glycogen, the purpose of this research was to analyze the effects of a high CHO (120 g/h) intake during a mountain marathon on 24 h recovery in elite runners in terms of neuromuscular function and high intensity run capacity in elite male ultra-endurance athletes
This study focused on measuring two main physiological and mountain marathon on long-term recovery and compare it to current international recommendations metabolic qualities involved in the trail running discipline that are determinants for performance: for endurance exercise (90 g/h) [34,35] and regular CHO intake by athletes during ultra-endurance neuromuscular function and high intensity run capacity [3,46,52]
Summary
Participation in ultra-endurance mountain race events (>4 h) has increased in recent years [1].The different distances run by participants range from mountain marathons (42,195 m) to multistage ultra-marathons (up to 350 km), with an accumulative altitude gain of 24,000 m during the most extreme events [2]. Mountain athletes are exposed to different environmental conditions, such as irregular terrains with a variety of geographical and topographic characteristics, climatic conditions, altitude exposure and temperature fluctuations [2,3,4] This results in extreme physiological demands which may cause, among other things, negative energy balance, dehydration, decrease in blood glucose levels, muscle and hepatic glycogen depletion, exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD) and inflammation [2,3,4,5], and might induce high levels of neuromuscular fatigue [2,6]. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the effects of 120 g/h CHO intake with the recommendations (90 g/h) and the usual intake for ultra-endurance athletes (60 g/h) during a mountain marathon on internal exercise load, and post-exercise neuromuscular function and recovery of high intensity run capacity. Conclusions: 120 g/h CHO intake during a mountain marathon might limit neuromuscular fatigue and improve recovery of high intensity run capacity 24 h after a physiologically challenging event when compared to 90 g/h and 60 g/h
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