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Higher fat oxidation in running than cycling at the same exercise intensities
Benoit Capostagno1, Andrew Bosch
1Dept. of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Summary
Running burns more fat than cycling at the same relative exercise intensity. This study compared fat oxidation during running versus cycling, finding higher fat utilization during running across various intensity metrics.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Metabolic Research
- Sports Science
Background:
- Understanding substrate utilization during different exercise modalities is crucial for optimizing training and performance.
- Relative exercise intensity can be defined using various metrics, including maximum workload, oxygen uptake, and heart rate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare fat and carbohydrate oxidation rates between running and cycling at equivalent relative exercise intensities.
- To investigate the influence of different intensity expression methods (%WL(max), %VO(2max), %HR(max), RPE) on substrate utilization.
Main Methods:
- Ten male triathletes completed maximal running and cycling tests.
- Submaximal exercise was performed at 60-80% of maximum workload (%WL(max)).
- Metabolic data (VO(2), VCO(2)), heart rate, RPE, and plasma lactate were measured; substrate oxidation was calculated.
Main Results:
- Fat oxidation was significantly higher during running compared to cycling at the same relative intensities (%WL(max) and %VO(2max)).
- No significant differences were observed in maximum oxygen uptake (%VO(2max)) or maximum heart rate (%HR(max)) between modes.
- Heart rate and plasma lactate were higher during cycling at lower relative intensities.
Conclusions:
- Running elicits a greater reliance on fat oxidation compared to cycling when matched for relative intensity.
- These findings have implications for exercise prescription and energy metabolism research in endurance athletes.
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