1. Crisis of confidence averted: Impairment of exercise economy and performance in elite race walkers by ketogenic low carbohydrate, high fat (LCHF) diet is reproducible.
- Author
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Burke, Louise M., Sharma, Avish P., Heikura, Ida A., Forbes, Sara F., Holloway, Melissa, McKay, Alannah K. A., Bone, Julia L., Leckey, Jill J., Welvaert, Marijke, and Ross, Megan L.
- Subjects
CLINICAL trial registries ,HIGH-carbohydrate diet ,CARBOHYDRATES ,BODY-weight-supported treadmill training ,FAT ,HIGH-fat diet ,EXERCISE ,AEROBIC capacity - Abstract
Introduction: We repeated our study of intensified training on a ketogenic low-carbohydrate (CHO), high-fat diet (LCHF) in world-class endurance athletes, with further investigation of a "carryover" effect on performance after restoring CHO availability in comparison to high or periodised CHO diets. Methods: After Baseline testing (10,000 m IAAF-sanctioned race, aerobic capacity and submaximal walking economy) elite male and female race walkers undertook 25 d supervised training and repeat testing (Adapt) on energy-matched diets: High CHO availability (8.6 g∙kg
-1 ∙d-1 CHO, 2.1 g∙kg-1 ∙d-1 protein; 1.2 g∙kg-1 ∙d-1 fat) including CHO before/during/after workouts (HCHO, n = 8): similar macronutrient intake periodised within/between days to manipulate low and high CHO availability at various workouts (PCHO, n = 8); and LCHF (<50 g∙d-1 CHO; 78% energy as fat; 2.1 g∙kg-1 ∙d-1 protein; n = 10). After Adapt, all athletes resumed HCHO for 2.5 wk before a cohort (n = 19) completed a 20 km race. Results: All groups increased VO2 peak (ml∙kg-1 ∙min-1 ) at Adapt (p = 0.02, 95%CI: [0.35–2.74]). LCHF markedly increased whole-body fat oxidation (from 0.6 g∙min-1 to 1.3 g∙min-1 ), but also the oxygen cost of walking at race-relevant velocities. Differences in 10,000 m performance were clear and meaningful: HCHO improved by 4.8% or 134 s (95% CI: [207 to 62 s]; p < 0.001), with a trend for a faster time (2.2%, 61 s [-18 to +144 s]; p = 0.09) in PCHO. LCHF were slower by 2.3%, -86 s ([-18 to -144 s]; p < 0.001), with no evidence of superior "rebound" performance over 20 km after 2.5 wk of HCHO restoration and taper. Conclusion: Our previous findings of impaired exercise economy and performance of sustained high-intensity race walking following keto-adaptation in elite competitors were repeated. Furthermore, there was no detectable benefit from undertaking an LCHF intervention as a periodised strategy before a 2.5-wk race preparation/taper with high CHO availability. Trial registration: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry: ACTRN12619000794101. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2020
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