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

Abstract

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, ${{\eta }_p}^2$ = 0.35) and improved at REC (∆12 ± 9 W from PRE, p = 0.01, ${{\eta }_p}^2$ = 0.66), with reductions in peak lactate (∆-3.0 ± 2.0 mmol/L, p = 0.001, ${{\eta }_p}^2$ = 0.71), peak HR (∆-6 ± 3 bpm, p < 0.001, ${{\eta }_p}^2$ = 0.86), and Hooper-Mackinnon well-being scores (∆10 ± 5 a.u., p < 0.001, ${{\eta }_p}^2$ = 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, ${{\eta }_p}^2$ = 0.74), and 80% (POST: 0.93 ± 0.05, REC: 1.00 ± 0.05, p = 0.003, ${{\eta }_p}^2$ = 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, ${{\eta }_p}^2$ = 0.36), but not the 5 km time-trial (p = 0.07, ${{\eta }_p}^2$ = 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.

Keywords: continuous glucose monitoring; cycling; low energy availability; overtraining; resting metabolic rate.