Maple Syrup Carbohydrate Dose-Response on 20-km Cycling Time-Trial Performance
(MAPLE-DR Trial)
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether maple syrup can be used as a natural carbohydrate source to help trained male cyclists perform better during long-duration cycling. The study also aims to learn how different amounts of maple syrup affect energy use in the body, stomach comfort, and feelings of effort and fatigue.
The main questions the study aims to answer are:
* Does consuming more carbohydrate from maple syrup help participants finish a 20-kilometer cycling time trial faster?
* How do different amounts of maple syrup change how the body uses carbohydrates and fats during long exercise?
* Are higher amounts of maple syrup easy for participants to tolerate without stomach problems?
Researchers will compare four drinks:
1. A placebo drink (a look-alike drink with no calories),
2. A drink that provides 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour,
3. A drink that provides 90 grams per hour, and
4. A drink that provides 120 grams per hour.
They will compare these drinks to see whether higher carbohydrate amounts lead to better cycling performance and how each dose affects comfort and metabolism.
Participants will:
* Attend a screening visit that includes a health check and a glucose tolerance test.
* Complete a fitness test to measure their aerobic capacity and practice the cycling tests used in the study.
* Take part in four separate exercise sessions in random order. Each session includes:
* Drinking one of the four study beverages during 2 hours of steady cycling,
* Completing two short, all-out 6-second sprints during the ride,
* Completing a 20-kilometer cycling time trial as fast as possible,
* Reporting stomach symptoms and perceptions of effort,
* Providing breath, blood, urine, and sweat samples so researchers can measure how their body uses fuel.
All drinks will look, taste, and smell similar so participants cannot tell which one they are receiving. Meals before each session will be provided to keep conditions the same across visits.
This study may help athletes and active people choose natural carbohydrate sources that support both performance and comfort during long endurance exercise. The findings may also guide future research on the use of maple syrup as a sports nutrition option.
Who Is on the Research Team?
Jonathan Tremblay, PhD
Principal Investigator
Université de Montréal
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
Inclusion Criteria
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
How Is the Trial Designed?
4
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
The protocol begins with a 10-minute warm-up at 100 W, followed by a 120-minute constant-load cycling phase at 65% PPO, during which the 90 g/h maple syrup solution is consumed every 15 minutes as the main intervention. Neuromuscular fatigue is assessed four times (baseline, 60 min, 120 min into the constant-load, and post-TT) using two 6-second all-out seated sprints (from a 100 W rolling start); these two sprints are separated by a 1-minute active recovery at 100 W, after which the 65% PPO cycling is immediately resumed for the in-exercise timepoints. The constant-load phase is concluded by a 5-minute complete recovery, immediately followed by the 20-km self-paced Time Trial (completed without fluids), with the final set of sprints performed immediately after the TT to assess residual fatigue.
The protocol begins with a 10-minute warm-up at 100 W, followed by a 120-minute constant-load cycling phase at 65% PPO, during which the 60 g/h maple syrup solution is consumed every 15 minutes as the main intervention. Neuromuscular fatigue is assessed four times (baseline, 60 min, 120 min into the constant-load, and post-TT) using two 6-second all-out seated sprints (from a 100 W rolling start); these two sprints are separated by a 1-minute active recovery at 100 W, after which the 65% PPO cycling is immediately resumed for the in-exercise timepoints. The constant-load phase is concluded by a 5-minute complete recovery, immediately followed by the 20-km self-paced Time Trial (completed without fluids), with the final set of sprints performed immediately after the TT to assess residual fatigue.
The protocol begins with a 10-minute warm-up at 100 W, followed by a 120-minute constant-load cycling phase at 65% PPO, during which the 120 g/h maple syrup solution is consumed every 15 minutes as the main intervention. Neuromuscular fatigue is assessed four times (baseline, 60 min, 120 min into the constant-load, and post-TT) using two 6-second all-out seated sprints (from a 100 W rolling start); these two sprints are separated by a 1-minute active recovery at 100 W, after which the 65% PPO cycling is immediately resumed for the in-exercise timepoints. The constant-load phase is concluded by a 5-minute complete recovery, immediately followed by the 20-km self-paced Time Trial (completed without fluids), with the final set of sprints performed immediately after the TT to assess residual fatigue.
The protocol begins with a 10-minute warm-up at 100 W, followed by a 120-minute constant-load cycling phase at 65% PPO, during which the placebo solution (sweetened water, with sotolon for maple taste) is consumed every 15 minutes as the main intervention. Neuromuscular fatigue is assessed four times (baseline, 60 min, 120 min into the constant-load, and post-TT) using two 6-second all-out seated sprints (from a 100 W rolling start); these two sprints are separated by a 1-minute active recovery at 100 W, after which the 65% PPO cycling is immediately resumed for the in-exercise timepoints. The constant-load phase is concluded by a 5-minute complete recovery, immediately followed by the 20-km self-paced Time Trial (completed without fluids), with the final set of sprints performed immediately after the TT to assess residual fatigue.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Université de Montréal
Lead Sponsor
Montreal Heart Institute
Collaborator
Mitacs
Industry Sponsor
Quebec Maple Syrup Producers
Collaborator
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canada
Collaborator
Quebec Cycling Federation
Collaborator
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