Carbohydrate-Energy Replacement Following High-Intensity Interval Exercise Blunts Next-Day Glycemic Control in Untrained Women

Abstract

Background: Improved glycemic control has been reported for ∼24 h following low-volume high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE), but it is unclear if this is a direct effect of exercise or an indirect effect of the exercise-induced energy deficit. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of carbohydrate-energy replacement after low-volume HIIE on 24 h glycemic control in women. Methods: Seven untrained women (age: 22 ± 2 yr; BMI: 22 ± 3 kg/m2; VO2peak: 33 ± 7 ml/kg/min) completed three 2-day trials in the mid-follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Continuous glucose monitoring was used to measure blood glucose concentrations during, and for 24 h following three conditions: (1) HIIE followed by a high-carbohydrate energy replacement drink (EX-HC); (2) HIIE followed by a non-caloric taste-matched placebo drink (EX-NC); and (3) seated control with no drink (CTL). HIIE involved an evening session (1,700 h) of 10 × 1-min cycling efforts at ∼90% maximal heart rate with 1 min recovery. Diet was standardized and identical across all three 2-day trials, apart from the post-exercise carbohydrate drink in EX-HC, which was designed to replenish the exercise-induced energy expenditure. Postprandial glycemic responses to the following days breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner, as well as 24 h indices of glycemic control, were analyzed. Results: The day after HIIE, postprandial glycemia following breakfast and snack were reduced in EX-NC compared to EX-HC, as reflected by lower 3 h glucose mean (breakfast: 5.5 ± 0.5 vs. 6.7 ± 1, p = 0.01, Cohen’s d = 1.4; snack: 4.9 ± 0.3 vs. 5.7 ± 0.8 mmol/L, p = 0.02, d = 1.4) and/or area under the curve (AUC) (breakfast: 994 ± 86 vs. 1,208 ± 190 mmol/L x 3 h, p = 0.01, d = 1.5). Postprandial glycemic responses following lunch and dinner were not different across conditions (p > 0.05). The 24 h glucose mean (EX-NC: 5.2 ± 0.3 vs. EX-HC: 5.7 ± 0.7 mmol/L; p = 0.02, d = 1.1) and AUC (EX-NC: 7,448 ± 425 vs. EX-HC: 8,246 ± 957 mmol/L × 24 h; p = 0.02, d = 1.1) were reduced in EX-NC compared to EX-HC. Conclusion: Post-exercise carbohydrate-energy replacement attenuates glycemic control the day following a single session of low-volume HIIE in women.