Fructose Coingestion Does Not Accelerate Postexercise Muscle Glycogen Repletion
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Postexercise muscle glycogen repletion is largely determined by the systemic availability of exogenous carbohydrate provided. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the effect of the combined ingestion of fructose and glucose on postexercise muscle glycogen repletion when optimal amounts of carbohydrate are ingested. METHODS: Fourteen male cyclists (age: 28 ± 6 yr; Wmax: 4.8 ± 0.4 W·kg⁻¹) were studied on three different occasions. Each test day started with a glycogen-depleting exercise session. This was followed by a 5-h recovery period, during which subjects ingested 1.5 g·kg⁻¹·h⁻¹ glucose (GLU), 1.2 g·kg⁻¹·h⁻¹ glucose + 0.3 g·kg⁻¹·h⁻¹ fructose (GLU + FRU), or 0.9 g·kg⁻¹·h⁻¹ glucose + 0.6 g·kg⁻¹·h⁻¹ sucrose (GLU + SUC). Blood samples and gastrointestinal distress questionnaires were collected frequently, and muscle biopsy samples were taken at 0, 120, and 300 min after cessation of exercise to measure muscle glycogen content. RESULTS: Plasma glucose responses did not differ between treatments (ANOVA, P = 0.096), but plasma insulin and lactate concentrations were elevated during GLU + FRU and GLU + SUC when compared with GLU (P < 0.01). Muscle glycogen content immediately after exercise averaged 207 ± 112, 219 ± 107, and 236 ± 118 mmol·kg⁻¹ dry weight in the GLU, GLU + FRU, and GLU + SUC treatments, respectively (P = 0.362). Carbohydrate ingestion increased muscle glycogen concentrations during 5 h of postexercise recovery to 261 ± 98, 289 ± 130, and 315 ± 103 mmol·kg⁻¹ dry weight in the GLU, GLU + FRU, and GLU + SUC treatments, respectively (P < 0.001), with no differences between treatments (time × treatment, P = 0.757). CONCLUSIONS: Combined ingestion of glucose plus fructose does not further accelerate postexercise muscle glycogen repletion in trained cyclists when ample carbohydrate is ingested. Combined ingestion of glucose (polymers) plus fructose or sucrose reduces gastrointestinal complaints when ingesting large amounts of carbohydrate.
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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 Trommelen et al. 2016
Even with large, recommended carbohydrate ingestion rates (≥1.2 g/kg/h) provided at frequent intervals, there are no differences between the effects of ingestion of glucose (polymers) and fructose (sucrose) mixtures vs. glucose (polymers) alone on post-exercise muscle glycogen repletion rates.
“Based on these studies it can be concluded that even with large, recommended carbohydrate ingestion rates (≥1.2 g/kg/h) provided at frequent intervals, there are no differences between the effects of ingestion of glucose (polymers) and fructose (sucrose) mixtures vs. glucose (polymers) alone on post‐exercise muscle glycogen repletion rates (Wallis et al. 2008; Fuchs et al. 2016; Trommelen et al. 2”
From Fructose co‐ingestion to increase carbohydrate availability in athletes (2019) · cites this paper as Trommelen et al. 2016
Post-exercise lactate concentrations are greater following fructose-glucose co-ingestion than following glucose (polymers) only.
“Indeed, we (Fuchs et al. 2016; Trommelen et al. 2016) and others (Wallis et al. 2008; Rosset et al. 2017b) have previously observed greater post‐exercise lactate concentrations following fructose‐glucose co‐ingestion, compared to glucose (polymers) only.”
From Fructose co‐ingestion to increase carbohydrate availability in athletes (2019) · cites this paper as Trommelen 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 Trommelen et al. 2016
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 [22]
Co-ingestion of glucose with fructose is preferred owing to reduced gastrointestinal complaints and the beneficial effect on liver glycogen replenishment.
“Nevertheless, co-ingestion of glucose with fructose is preferred owing to reduced gastrointestinal complaints and the beneficial effect on liver glycogen replenishment, as discussed below [18, 22, 26]”
From Nutritional Strategies to Improve Post-exercise Recovery and Subsequent Exercise Performance: A Narrative Review (2025) · cites this paper as [22]
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References 42 · Cited by 33
- Authors
- TROMMELEN, J., BEELEN, M., PINCKAERS, P. J. M., SENDEN, J. M., CERMAK, N. M., & VAN LOON, L. J. C.
- Affiliations
- Maastricht University Medical Centre (NL)
- Venue
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
- Published
- 2016-05
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 907-912
- ISSN
- 0195-9131 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2185298808
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 1.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (publishedVersion)
- Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion)
- 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
- fructose, glucose, post-exercise recovery, sucrose, glycogen depletion, plasma insulin, plasma lactate, gastrointestinal distress, trained cyclists, plasma glucose response, muscle glycogen content, carbohydrate utilization, carbohydrate storage, carbohydrate absorption
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Bicycling, Dietary Carbohydrates, Double-Blind Method, Fructose, Glucose, Glycogen, Humans, Insulin, Male, Muscle, Skeletal, Lactic Acid, Young Adult, Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
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