ORIGINAL ARTICLES  BODY COMPOSITION AND NUTRITION 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2014 October;54(5):622-30

Copyright © 2014 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Effect of a sports drink based on highly-branched cyclic dextrin on cytokine responses to exhaustive endurance exercise

Suzuki K. ¹, Shiraishi K. ², Yoshitani K. ², Sugama K. ^{3, 4}, Kometani T. ⁵ ✉

¹ Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan; ² Institute of Health Sciences, Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd, Osaka, Japan; ³ Consolidated Research Institute for Advanced Science and Medical Care (ASMeW), Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan; ⁴ Division of Cell Regeneration and Transplantation, Department of Functional Morphology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; ⁵ Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture, Kinki University, Nara, Japan

BACKGROUND: Aim of the present study was to compare the effects of highly branched cyclic dextrin (HBCD) drink with a glucose-based control drink on immunoendocrine responses to endurance exercise.
METHODS: Using a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design, seven male triathletes participated in two duathlon races separated by one month, consisting of 5 km of running, 40 km of cycling and 5 km of running. In the first race, four athletes consumed the HBCD-based drink and three athletes consumed the glucose-based drink. In the second race, three athletes consumed the HBCD-based drink and four athletes consumed the glucose-based drink. We collected blood and urine samples before and after the races to analyze leukocyte count and concentrations of hormones and cytokines.
RESULTS: Lymphocyte and neutrophil counts increased significantly after exercise in both trials (P<0.05), but were not significantly different between the trials. Plasma noradrenalin concentration increased significantly (P<0.05) during exercise in the glucose trial, but not in the HBCD trial. Plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-10 increased significantly during exercise in both trials (P<0.05) but were not significantly different between the trials. Post-race urinary IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12p40 concentrations were significantly lower in the HBCD trial compared with the glucose trial (P<0.05), although the plasma concentrations of these cytokines were not significantly different between both trials.
CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the HBCD-based drink may attenuate the stress hormone response, and reduce the urinary cytokine levels following exhaustive exercise.