title: Effect of carbohydrate ingestion on ammonia metabolism during exercise in humans.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of carbohydrate ingestion on plasma and muscle ammonia (NH(3) denotes ammonia and ammonium) accumulation during prolonged exercise. Eleven trained men exercised for 2 h at 65% peak pulmonary oxygen consumption while ingesting either 250 ml of an 8% carbohydrate-electrolyte solution every 15 min (CHO) or an equal volume of a sweet placebo. Blood glucose and plasma insulin levels during exercise were higher in CHO, but plasma hypoxanthine was lower after 120 min (1.7 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.6 +/- 0.1 micromol/l; P < 0. 05). Plasma NH(3) levels were similar at rest and after 30 min of exercise in both trials but were lower after 60, 90, and 120 min of exercise in CHO (62 +/- 9 vs. 76 +/- 9 micromol/l; P < 0.05). Muscle NH(3) levels were similar at rest and after 30 min of exercise but were lower after 120 min of exercise in CHO (1.51 +/- 0.21 vs. 2.07 +/- 0.23 mmol/kg dry muscle; P < 0.05; n = 5). These data are best explained by carbohydrate ingestion reducing muscle NH(3) production from amino acid degradation, although a small reduction in net AMP catabolism within the contracting muscle may also make a minor contribution to the lower tissue NH(3) levels.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood 3125, Australia.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Snow
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Stathis
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Febbraio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hargreaves
mesh_terms: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism*; D001769:Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D000641:Ammonia