Adaptation to a low carbohydrate high fat diet is rapid but impairs endurance exercise metabolism and performance despite enhanced glycogen availability.

ABSTRACT:

Key points

Brief (5-6 days) adaptation to a low carbohydrate high fat diet in elite athletes increased exercise fat oxidation to rates previously observed with medium (3-4 weeks) or chronic (>12 months) adherence to this diet, with metabolic changes being washed out in a similar time frame. Increased fat utilisation during exercise was associated with a 5-8% increase in oxygen cost at speeds related to Olympic Programme races. Acute restoration of endogenous carbohydrate (CHO) availability (24 h high CHO diet, pre-race CHO) only partially restored substrate utilisation during a race warm-up. Fat oxidation continued to be elevated above baseline values although it was lower than achieved by 5-6 days' keto adaptation; CHO oxidation only reached 61% and 78% of values previously seen a

SUBMITTER: Burke LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7891450 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature