The effect of intermittent high-intensity running on gastric emptying of fluids in man.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the effect of variable-intensity shuttle running on gastric emptying of a carbohydrate-free placebo (Plac) drink and of a 6.4% carbohydrate-electrolyte (CHO) sports drink.


METHODS
We compared the volume of test drink emptied during two 15-min periods of walking exercise (WE) with that during two 15-min periods of the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST). Gastric emptying was measured on the four trials using a double-sampling aspiration technique in eight healthy males after ingestion of a 420 +/- 49 mL and a 168 +/- 20 mL bolus of the appropriate test drink at the start of the first and second exercise period, respectively.


RESULTS
During the initial 15 min of exercise, the mean (+/-SD) volume of Plac (124 +/- 95 mL) and CHO (71 +/- 43 mL) drink emptied was similar between the two LIST trials, but the volume of Plac (227 +/- 85 mL) and CHO (159 +/- 63 mL) drinks emptied on the WE trials was greater than for the respective test drinks on the LIST trials. Similar volumes of test drinks were emptied on all trials (P = 0.20) during the second 15 min of exercise. Over the 30 min of each trial, the exercise intensity of the LIST reduced the volume of the Plac (211 +/- 108 mL) and CHO (208 +/- 83 mL) drink emptied compared with that on the WE trial for the Plac (396 +/- 74 mL) and CHO (293 +/- 73 mL) drink, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The exercise intensity of the LIST is sufficient to slow gastric emptying of carbohydrate and noncarbohydrate containing drinks compared with walking. Dilute carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks empty at about the same rate as carbohydrate-free beverages during variable-intensity running.
Leiper
John B
JB
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Medical School, Aberdeen University, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK. j.leiper@abdn.ac.uk
Nicholas
Ceri W
CW
Ali
Ajmol
A
Williams
Clyde
C
Maughan
Ronald J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000378:metabolism; D002253:Carbonated Beverages; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000378:metabolism; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates