Background: There is a natural linkage between nutrition and exercise physiology. When a skeletal muscle fiber is repeatedly stimulated, the tension developed by the fiber eventually decreases even though the stimulation continues. This decline in muscle tension as a result of previous contractile activity is known as fatigue. Carbohydrate supplementation during exercise delays fatigue by 3060 min. Ingestion of glucose drink half an hour prior to the exercise improves the muscular performance and delays the occurrence of fatigue.
Objective: To study the effect of pre-exercise glucose drink on muscle performance by bicycle ergography and time to fatigue in non-athletes.
Materials and Methods: A total of 30 male medical students with mean age of 18.6±1.56 years were recruited for the study. Subjects were made to perform exercise on bicycle ergometer in two sessions each session separated by 1 week. In second session, subjects were given glucose drink half a hour prior to exercise. Work done was calculated and the time for fatigue, total distance traveled was noted in both the sessions.
Result: There was a significant difference in the time to fatigue (12.09 ± 7.42 min), work done (6964.00±4517.96 J), total distance traveled (3.55±2.42 km) in the second session having greater values than in the time to fatigue (7.09±4.96 min), work done (4305.33±3065.19 J), and total distance traveled (2.12±1.54 km) in the first session.
Conclusion: The performance is better and time to fatigue is delayed in exercise performed after taking glucose drink.
Key words: Pre-exercise glucose drink, bicycle ergography, fatigue, work done
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