Effect of pre-exercise fructose ingestion on endurance performance in fed men.

Twelve trained males, in a fed state, were studied to examine the effect of pre-exercise fructose ingestion on endurance capacity during prolonged cycling exercise. Sixty minutes prior to exercise, subjects ingested either 60 or 85 g fructose or a sweet placebo. Mean exercise intensity initially required 62% of the maximal aerobic power and thereafter increased to elicit 72 and 81% of maximal aerobic power at 90 and 120 min of exercise, respectively. Exercise time (mean +/- SE) to exhaustion was significantly increased after fructose ingestion, as compared to placebo ingestion (145 +/- 4 vs 132 +/- 3 min, P less than 0.01). During the exercise, no differences were observed between both trials for oxygen uptake, heart rate, or perceived exertion. Serum glucose and insulin levels between both trials were not significantly different throughout the experiment. There were also no significant differences in serum-free fatty acids and glycerol levels as well as respiratory exchange ratio between fructose and placebo trials during the exercise. The results suggest that fructose ingestion is of benefit before prolonged exercise, because it provides a carbohydrate source to contracting muscles without transient hypoglycemia and a depression of fat utilization, and thereby delays the fatigue.