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Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Determining the Contribution of the Energy Systems During Exercise
Published on: March 20, 2012
Energy substrate utilization with and without exogenous carbohydrate intake in boys and men exercising in the heat
Gabriela T Leites1, Giovani S Cunha1,2, Lisa Chu1
1Child Health & Exercise Medicine Program, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; and.
Abstract:
Little is known about energy yield during exercise in the heat in boys compared with men. To investigate substrate utilization with and without exogenous carbohydrate (CHOexo) intake, seven boys [11.2 ± 0.2 (SE) yr] and nine men (24.0 ± 1.1 yr) cycled (4 × 20-min bouts) at a fixed metabolic heat production (Ḣp) per unit body mass (6 W/kg) in a climate chamber (38°C and 50% relative humidity), on two occasions. Participants consumed a 13C-enriched 8% CHO beverage (CARB) or placebo beverage (CONT) in a double-blinded, counterbalanced manner. Substrate utilization was calculated for the last 60 min of exercise. CHOexo oxidation rate (2.0 ± 0.3 vs. 2.5 ± 0.2 mg·kg fat-free mass-1·min-1, P = 0.02) and CHOexo oxidation efficiency (12.8 ± 0.6 vs. 16.0 ± 0.9%, P = 0.01) were lower in boys compared with men exercising in the heat. Total carbohydrate (CHOtotal), endogenous CHO (CHOendo), and total fat (Fattotal) remained stable in boys and men (P > 0.05) during CARB, whereas CHOtotal oxidation rate decreased (P < 0.001) and Fattotal oxidation rate increased over time similarly in boys and men during CONT (P < 0.001). The relative contribution of CHOexo to total energy yield increased over time in both groups (P < 0.001). In conclusion, endogenous substrate metabolism and the relative contribution of fuels to total energy yield were not different between groups. The ingestion of a CHO beverage during exercise in the heat may be as beneficial for boys as men to spare endogenous substrate.
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