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Cited by 56Muscle metabolism and nutritionSports Performance and TrainingExercise and Physiological Responses

Sucrose ingestion after exhaustive exercise accelerates liver, but not muscle glycogen repletion compared with glucose ingestion in trained athletes

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Fuchs, Cas J., Gonzalez, Javier T., Beelen, Milou, Cermak, Naomi M., Smith, Fiona E., Thelwall, Pete E., Taylor, Roy, Trenell, Michael I. +2 more·2016·Journal of Applied Physiology
DOI 10.1152/japplphysiol.01023.2015
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of sucrose vs. glucose ingestion on postexercise liver and muscle glycogen repletion. Fifteen well-trained male cyclists completed two test days. Each test day started with glycogen-depleting exercise, followed by 5 h of recovery, during which subjects ingested 1.5 g·kg−1·h−1 sucrose or glucose. Blood was sampled frequently and 13 C magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging were employed 0, 120, and 300 min postexercise to determine liver and muscle glycogen concentrations and liver volume. Results were as follows: Postexercise muscle glycogen concentrations increased significantly from 85 ± 27 (SD) vs. 86 ± 35 mmol/l to 140 ± 23 vs. 136 ± 26 mmol/l following sucrose and glucose ingestion, respectively (no differences between treatments: P = 0.673). Postexercise liver glycogen concentrations increased significantly from 183 ± 47 vs. 167 ± 65 mmol/l to 280 ± 72 vs. 234 ± 81 mmol/l following sucrose and glucose ingestion, respectively (time × treatment, P = 0.051). Liver volume increased significantly over the 300-min period after sucrose ingestion only (time × treatment, P = 0.001). As a result, total liver glycogen content increased during postexercise recovery to a greater extent in the sucrose treatment (from 53.6 ± 16.2 to 86.8 ± 29.0 g) compared with the glucose treatment (49.3 ± 25.5 to 65.7 ± 27.1 g; time × treatment, P < 0.001), equating to a 3.4 g/h (95% confidence interval: 1.6-5.1 g/h) greater repletion rate with sucrose vs. glucose ingestion. In conclusion, sucrose ingestion (1.5 g·kg−1·h−1) further accelerates postexercise liver, but not muscle glycogen repletion compared with glucose ingestion in trained athletes.

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  • There is currently no evidence to recommend consuming more than 1.2 g·kg−1⋅h−1 of carbohydrates, regardless of type.

    “There is currently no evidence to recommend consuming more than 1.2 g·kg−1⋅h−1 of carbohydrates, regardless of type [22, 25].”

    From Nutritional Strategies to Improve Post-exercise Recovery and Subsequent Exercise Performance: A Narrative Review (2025) · cites this paper as [25]

    The NEW & NOTEWORTHY passage explicitly recommends sucrose at 1.5 g·kg−1·h−1 over glucose when rapid recovery of endogenous carbohydrate stores is the goal. Although the DISCUSSION says 1.2 g·kg−1·h−1 maximizes postexercise muscle glycogen synthesis, the paper reports faster liver glycogen repletion with sucrose at 1.5 g·kg−1·h−1. The claim's blanket statement, regardless of carbohydrate type, conflicts with that recommendation. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • When fructose is co-ingested with glucose (as free glucose and fructose or as sucrose), the rate of liver glycogen repletion may increase 2-fold to approximately 7.4 g/h.

    “When fructose is co‐ingested with glucose (either as free glucose and fructose or as sucrose), the rate of liver glycogen repletion may increase 2‐fold (∼7.4 g/h) (Decombaz et al. 2011; Fuchs et al. 2016).”

    From Fructose co‐ingestion to increase carbohydrate availability in athletes (2019) · cites this paper as Fuchs et al. 2016

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports that sucrose doubled postexercise liver glycogen repletion relative to glucose in trained athletes, but gives rates of 6.6 ± 3.3 versus 3.3 ± 3.0 g/h—not approximately 7.4 g/h. The paper reports, rather than directly tests, increased repletion with fructose co-ingested with maltodextrin, citing Décombaz et al. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Fructose co-ingestion can accelerate post-exercise (liver) glycogen repletion rates.

    “Fructose co‐ingestion can also accelerate post‐exercise (liver) glycogen repletion rates, which may be relevant when rapid (<24 h) recovery is required.”

    From Fructose co‐ingestion to increase carbohydrate availability in athletes (2019) · cites this paper as Fuchs et al. 2016

  • Fructose co-ingestion can lower gastrointestinal distress when relatively large amounts of carbohydrate (>1.2 g/kg/h) are ingested during post-exercise recovery.

    “Furthermore, fructose co‐ingestion can lower gastrointestinal distress when relatively large amounts of carbohydrate (>1.2 g/kg/h) are ingested during post‐exercise recovery.”

    From Fructose co‐ingestion to increase carbohydrate availability in athletes (2019) · cites this paper as Fuchs et al. 2016

  • Ingestion of large amounts (≥1.2 g/kg/h) of glucose and fructose mixtures results in lower gastrointestinal issues, probably due to improved intestinal carbohydrate absorption.

    “However, the ingestion of large amounts (≥1.2 g/kg/h) of glucose and fructose mixtures have been shown to result in lower gastrointestinal issues, probably due to improved intestinal carbohydrate absorption (Fuchs et al. 2016; Trommelen et al. 2016).”

    From Fructose co‐ingestion to increase carbohydrate availability in athletes (2019) · cites this paper as Fuchs et al. 2016

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Hultman E, Nilsson LH. Liver glycogen as a glucose-supplying source during exercise. In: Limiting Factors of Physical Performance, edited by Keul E, Stuttgart, Germany: Georg Thieme, 1973, p. 179 -189.

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Authors
Fuchs, C. J., Gonzalez, J. T., Beelen, M., Cermak, N. M., Smith, F. E., Thelwall, P. E., Taylor, R., Trenell, M. I., Stevenson, E. J., & van Loon, L. J. C.
Affiliations
  • Maastricht University Medical Centre (NL)
  • University of Bath (GB)
  • Newcastle University (GB)
  • Northumbria University (GB)
  • NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands;
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Applied Physiology
Publisher
American Physiological Society
Published
2016-06-01
Volume
120
Issue
11
Pages
1328-1334
ISSN
  • 0161-7567 (ISSN-L)
  • 8750-7587
  • 1522-1601
DOI
10.1152/japplphysiol.01023.2015
OpenAlex
W2307348902
Cited by
56
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 1
FWCI
4.59
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Applied Physiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • The University of Bath Online Publications Store (The University of Bath) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
  • Northumbria Research Link (Northumbria University) (submittedVersion)
  • Pure (University of Bath) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Alzheimer's Society
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (SRF-2011-04-017)
  • Medical Research Council (MR/L016354/1)
  • Economic and Social Research Council (ES/K007688/1)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
Keywords
sucrose intake, glucose ingestion, glycogen repletion, liver glycogen, muscle glycogen, post-exercise recovery, exhaustive exercise, trained cyclists, liver volume, carbohydrate supplementation, 13C NMR
MeSH terms
Bicycling, Dietary Carbohydrates, Eating, Glucose, Glycogen, Humans, Liver, Male, Physical Endurance, Sucrose, Exercise, Muscle, Skeletal, Athletes

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