Walberg Ranklin, J., Dalton, R., Sebolt, D., & Gwazdauskas, R. (1998). Carbohydrate supplementation prior to resistance exercise in males in negative energy balance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 30(5), Supplement abstract 21.

Acute carbohydrate (CHO) consumption in weight-trained males (N = 22) was evaluated for performance and metabolism factors. Ss were assigned to a control (N = 6), placebo (N = 8), or a CHO (N = 8) group. Standardized workouts consisting of five sets (80%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 60% of 10 RM) of four exercises every other day for one week were performed prior to baseline testing. Performance testing was the same as the training task except that the fifth set was at 80% of 10 RM to exhaustion. Measures were taken periodically throughout all stages of the experiment.

The exercises were hard enough to increase serum CK. However, CHO ingestion did not influence the resistance exercise response. There were no differences between measures of perceived exertion or the number of repetitions performed.

Implication. CHO ingestion prior to resistance training does not improve resistance exercise performance.

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