Scientists at the University of Birmingham are trying to find out how the right ‘carbohydrate cocktail’ mixture of fructose and glucose can help athletes perform better. And as part of their studies they are seeking runners to take part in two runs in the city over the coming weeks.
The research team are looking for 50 healthy volunteers who can run an 8.5 mile pace for ten minutes, to run 10 mile on two occasions at Birmingham’s Cannon Hill Park on March 6, 13 or 20.
Previously researchers uncovered that a carbohydrate cocktail, devised by the University of Birmingham, can improve performance because it allows the body to burn more carbohydrate and generate more energy than traditional glucose based drinks. However, this can also cause gastro intestinal distress and now the team wants to discover how to find the right balance and how to ingest the carbohydrates, through gels, bars or drinks.
During each of the two 10 mile runs participants will be required to swallow four gel patches containing the carbohydrate cocktail so scientists can analyse how the mixture is consumed.
Runners who complete the two races will automatically enter a prize draw. Volunteers will also get their personal results, including times and split times, once the trials are finished. They will be invited to an event where they will receive their results and gain further advice on sports nutrition.
Lead researcher, Professor Asker Jeukendrup, a sports nutritionist from the University’s School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, has spent more than a decade looking to find ways to increase energy delivery to the muscle. In 2007 he found that consuming multiple sources of carbohydrate, such as glucose and fructose can burn up to 75 percent more calories of carbohydrate a year than existing mixtures, demonstrating clear performance benefits for athletes.
Professor Jeukendrup said: “Certain combinations of carbohydrates have beneficial effects and this has changed the advice we give to athletes. We are now addressing some of the more practical questions and translate some of the scientific findings into applications and guidelines for athletes.”
The University of Birmingham mixture has already been used by several elite athletes and has been used since 2003 in the Tour de France. Professor Jeukendrup, a keen triathlete, has also used his own carbohydrate mixture at the Ironman World Championships.
Professor Jeukendrup nutrition and his new book Sport Nutrition: An Introduction to Energy Production and Performance will be officially launched at the University of Birmingham.
Anyone interested in taking part in the study should register by contacting Asker Jeukendrup at a.e.jeukendrup@bham.ac.uk
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Media information: University of Birmingham Press Office: Anna Dingley, 0121 415 8134/07769 952763, email a.j.dingley@bham.ac.uk or Anna Mitchell, 0121 414 6029/07920 593946, email a.i.mitchell@bham.ac.uk
Notes to Editor
Asker Jeukendrup is a Professor of exercise metabolism at the University of Birmingham and is one of the world’s leading sports nutritionists.
For further information on the study please visit:
The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences is part of the University of Birmingham’s College of Life and Environmental Sciences.
The University of Birmingham has more than 28,000 students from the UK and around the world and around 6,000 staff. With an annual turnover of £441 million, the University is one of the largest employers in the West Midlands and its activities contribute £779 million to the region. For more than 100 years research at the University of Birmingham has contributed to the advancement of knowledge and its application on a national and international scale. Following the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) Birmingham was placed as the 12th university in the UK based on ‘research power’. For more information please visit www.bham.ac.uk
Asker Jeukendrup
"Certain combinations of carbohydrates have beneficial effects and this has changed the advice we give to athletes. We are now addressing some of the more practical questions and translate some of the scientific findings into applications and guidelines for athletes.”
