Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the age-related carbohydrate oxidation and glucose utilisation rate response during exercise at the same relative intensity under hyperglycaemia in aged and young males.
Methods
16 endurance-trained aged (n = 8; 69.1 ± 5.2 year) and young (n = 8; 22.4 ± 2.9 year) males were studied during 40 min of cycling exercise (60% \(\dot {V}{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}}}\)) under both hyperglycaemic and euglycaemic (control) conditions. Venous blood samples were collected at baseline, post-infusion, mid- and post-exercise. Carbohydrate and fat oxidation rates were determined at both 15 and 35 min during exercise, and glucose utilisation rates were calculated.
Results
The aged group displayed significantly lower rates of carbohydrate oxidation during exercise during maintained hyperglycemia (15 min = 2.3 ± 0.4 vs. 1.6 ± 0.5 g min−1; 35 min = 2.3 ± 0.5 vs. 1.5 ± 0.5 g min−1) and control (15 min = 2.2 ± 0.4 vs. 1.6 ± 0.7 g min−1; 35 min = 1.9 ± 0.7 vs. 1.3 ± 0.7 g min−1) conditions (P = 0.01). The rate of glucose utilisation during exercise was also significantly reduced (85.76 ± 23.95 vs. 56.67 ± 15.09 μM kg−1 min−1). There were no differences between age groups for anthropometric measures, fat oxidation, insulin, glucose, NEFA, glycerol and lactate (P > 0.05) although hyperglycemia resulted in elevated glucose and insulin, and attenuated fat metabolite levels.
Conclusion
Our findings highlight that ageing results in a reduction in carbohydrate oxidation and utilisation rates during exercise at the same relative exercise intensity.
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Abbreviations
- AMPK:
-
Adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- DXA:
-
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
- ELISA:
-
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
- FPG:
-
Fasting plasma glucose
- GLUT-4:
-
Insulin-sensitive glucose transporter
- HOMA2:
-
Homeostasis model assessment
- HOMA2-%B:
-
β-Cell function
- HOMA2-%S:
-
Insulin sensitivity
- HOMA2-IR:
-
Insulin resistance
- HRmax :
-
Maximal heart rate
- INF:
-
Glucose infusion rate
- NEFA:
-
Non-esterified fatty acids
- \(\dot {V}{\text{C}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}}}\) :
-
Volume of carbon dioxide
- \(\dot {V}{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}}}\) :
-
Volume of oxygen
- \(\dot {V}{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}}}\) :
-
Maximal oxygen uptake
- RER:
-
Respiratory exchange ratio
- SC:
-
Space correction
- UC:
-
Correction for urinary loss of glucose
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JJM, AH and MB carried out the majority of the study data collection. SCW and ITC carried out the hyperglycaemic and saline clamp technique on all participants and provided medical supervision throughout the study. DPM and DD conceived and developed the original study idea and supervised the project. JJM led the write up of the study manuscript, with input from all authors. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
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Communicated by Guido Ferretti.
Iain T. Campbell: Currently retired from University Hospital of South Manchester.
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Malone, J.J., Bassami, M., Waldron, S.C. et al. Carbohydrate oxidation and glucose utilisation under hyperglycaemia in aged and young males during exercise at the same relative exercise intensity. Eur J Appl Physiol 119, 235–245 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-4019-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-4019-4