Addition of Protein in Carbohydrate Supplementation Does not Improve Performance of Amateur Runners in Exercise above the Anaerobic Threshold

Gabriel S. Franco^{1, 2}, Bruno A. P. de Oliveira¹, Carolina F. Nicoletti¹, Júlio César Crescêncio³, Pedro V. Schwartzmann³, Lourenço Gallo Júnior³ and Carla B. Nonino^1,

¹Departament of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, Brazil

²Departament of Nutrition, University of Franca, Franca, 14004-600, Brazil

³Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Cardiology Center, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, Brazil

Cite this paper:
Gabriel S. Franco, Bruno A. P. de Oliveira, Carolina F. Nicoletti, Júlio César Crescêncio, Pedro V. Schwartzmann, Lourenço Gallo Júnior and Carla B. Nonino. Addition of Protein in Carbohydrate Supplementation Does not Improve Performance of Amateur Runners in Exercise above the Anaerobic Threshold. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. 2018; 6(6):400-405. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-6-6-8

Abstract

There is no consensus in the literature that supports the inclusion of protein in the carbohydrate supplement in endurance exercise. The purpose of this study was to compare the physical performance of amateur runners under three different supplementation protocols: placebo (PLA), carbohydrate (CHO) and carbohydrate plus protein (CHO + PTN). Twelve amateur runners performed three exercise protocols on separate occasions consisting of 60 initial minutes with intensity referring to the Anaerobic Threshold (AT) and then 10% above the AT until exhaustion. Supplements (150 mL) were ingested 15 minutes before starting the activity and every 20 minutes until the first hour of exercise. Biochemical analyzes (blood glucose and lactate) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured before, during and after exercise protocols. Total caloric intake (Kcal) and macronutrients (g) were evaluated in the 24 hours preceding each exercise protocol. The time of exhaustion was higher for the CHO group when compared to the PLA group (24.6±13.6 vs. 15.2±8.9 minutes, p = 0.001) and the CHO + PTN group (24.6±13.6 vs. 18.6±8.4 minutes, p = 0.01). In general, glycemia was higher for the CHO and CHO + PTN groups when compared to the PLA group at all times whereas lactate, RPE and dietary assement did not show great differences. Our results suggest that, unlike supplementation with CHO alone, the addition of PTN in CHO supplements does not result in improved performance for the studied population and exercise intensity.

Keywords:
dietary supplements running anaerobic threshold performance

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