The Truth on Waxy Maize Starch

Waxy starches are carbohydrates derived from various sources such as rice, barley, and corn (i.e. maize). The "waxy" part refers to the fact that under a microscope there exists a resemblance to actual wax, although this it does so in appearance only.

We are told that WMS is a very fast carbohydrate because of its high amylopectin component (>99%), responsible for its enormous molecular weight and because of this molecular weight, WMS is absorbed by the gut more quickly than dextrose or maltodextrin which are considered to be the archetypical "fast carbs"- which in turn results in much greater glycogen stores. Some claims go so far as to say that WMS will restore muscle glycogen about 70-80% faster than other fast carb sources.

A recent university study (Purdue July 30 2009) has been able to confirm what some had already suspected and that is that as a fast carb WMS is inferior to Dextrose. As a complex carb it does appear to be a better choice than Maltodextryn (which does seem to cause discomfort to some) after 4 hours of having injested WM.

I've attached the freely available abstract of a study performed in 2008 below with which you can draw your own conclusions, I believe you have to be a paying member of a forum to get the full document (of which I am not).

Thank you Mr. King for making me do more homework in the case of gathering some evidence through some studies which show that WMS is not the slow starch that has a blunting effect on anything. Hence, I put forward these studies which I hope will prove to the contrary.

I have quoted the link below and placed it at the end of my article for anyone who’s interested in reading it.

http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:-O6s_ZZYbC0J:www.vitargo.com/PDF/VitargoMaltMaxEnd07.pdf+Francis+B.+Stephens+a%3B+Marc+Roig+a%3B+Gerald+Armstrong+a%3B+Paul+L.+Greenhaff+a&hl=en&gl=au&sig=AFQjCNG7yoeUgzthLYBJJZJMNpHRfOohAQ

When it comes to WMS, its strength lays in its super quick absorption rate due to its ultra high molecular weight. It passes through the stomach with lightning speed and gets into the small intestines where it’s readily absorbed into the blood stream and from there into the muscles.

Yes it is a starch and we always used to associate starch as being complex and slow, but that’s not necessarily the case. Take white rice and white potatoes for example, both of these starches have a high GI due to their quick break down and absorption rate.

STARCH STRUCTURE http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/19/suppl_3/320S

“Starch is composed of long chains of glucose (amylose) and highly branched chains of glucose (amylopectin). Hydrolysis of amylose would therefore result in fewer glucose molecules’ being freed at once than the hydrolysis of the highly branched amylopectin chains. Thus, high amylose content grains result in lower glucose responses than those which have a high content of amylopectin. These differences have been most frequently studied in corn products because the range of amylose varies from 30% to 70% of the starch.” WMS belongs to the amylopectin family of starches.

Therefore, starches can also create an insulin spike, especially when they are absorbed quickly. Rice for instance can have a high GI (white rice) or a low GI (brown rice) or potatoes have quite a high GI (71).That is due to the absorption rate... So yes, WMS does raise insulin and that’s just what you want around workout times.

Some further reading on the different structure of starch: http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/hysta.html

I’d say you’ll find your answer quickly once you take a look at the absorption factor. And we all know (those who‘ve taken WMS including myself) how quickly it empties from the stomach without the slightest stomach or gastrointestinal problems. I mix mine in an 8% solid to liquid ratio: 500ml water + 40g WMS. Perfect solution for me.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7782895?ordinalpos=8&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Quote:
Post-exercise ingestion of a unique, high molecular weight glucose polymer solution improves performance during a subsequent bout of cycling exercise
Authors: Francis B. Stephens a; Marc Roig a; Gerald Armstrong a; Paul L. Greenhaff a
Affiliation: a Centre for Integrated Systems Biology and Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

DOI: 10.1080/02640410701361548
Publication Frequency: 14 issues per year
Published in: Journal of Sports Sciences, Volume 26, Issue 2 January 2008 , pages 149 - 154
First Published on: 27 August 2007
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of post-exercise ingestion of a unique, high molecular weight glucose polymer solution, known to augment gastric emptying and post-exercise muscle glycogen re-synthesis, on performance during a subsequent bout of intense exercise. On three randomized visits, eight healthy men cycled to exhaustion at 73.0% (s = 1.3) maximal oxygen uptake (90 min, s = 15). Immediately after this, participants consumed a one-liter solution containing sugar-free flavoured water (control), 100 g of a low molecular weight glucose polymer or 100 g of a very high molecular weight glucose polymer, and rested on a bed for 2 h. After recovery, a 15-min time-trial was performed on a cycle ergometer, during which work output was determined. Post-exercise ingestion of the very high molecular weight glucose polymer solution resulted in faster and greater increases in blood glucose (P < 0.001) and serum insulin (P < 0.01) concentrations than the low molecular weight glucose polymer solution, and greater work output during the 15-min time-trial (164.1 kJ, s = 21.1) than both the sugar-free flavoured water (137.5 kJ, s = 24.2; P < 0.05) and the low molecular weight glucose polymer (149.4 kJ, s = 21.8; P < 0.05) solutions. These findings could be of practical importance for athletes wishing to optimize performance by facilitating rapid re-synthesis of the muscle glycogen store during recovery following prolonged sub-maximal exercise.
Keywords: Gastric emptying; skeletal muscle glycogen; sub-maximal exercise

Introduction


Muscle glycogen is recognized as the major fuel supporting adenosine triphosphate (ATP) homeostasis during sustained moderate-to-intense exercise, with the rate of glycogen utilization increasing with the intensity of exercise performed (Bergstrom, Hermansen, Hultman, & Saltin, 1967; Bergstrom & Hultman, 1966, 1967a; Hultman, Bergstrom, & Anderson, 1967). The depletion of muscle glycogen during exercise is associated with an accelerated rate of muscle phosphocreatine degradation, adenine nucleotide loss (Broberg & Sahlin, 1989), and muscle fatigue (Bergstrom & Hultman, 1966; Hultman et al., 1967), most probably due to the inability of muscle to maintain ATP production at the required rate. Thus, high pre-exercise muscle (and liver) glycogen concentrations are believed to be essential for optimal endurance exercise performance (Bergstrom et al., 1967), and the rapid re-synthesis of the muscle glycogen store is, therefore, of crucial importance during recovery for individuals who take part in training sessions or competitions where prolonged sub-maximal exercise or several periods of sub-maximal or intense exercise are performed in a single day.

Limiting factors to post-exercise muscle glycogen re-synthesis following carbohydrate feeding include the amount, timing, and form of carbohydrate administered, the rate of gastric emptying and intestinal absorption of the ingested carbohydrate, glucose storage and output by the liver, and muscle glucose transport and oxidation (for a review, see Jentjens & Jeukendrup, 2003). Studies in which glucose has been intravenously infused immediately following glycogen-depleting exercise have reported two- to three-fold greater rates of glycogen re-synthesis compared with post-exercise carbohydrate feeding [30 - 40 vs. 85 - 130 mmol ? kg dry muscle-1 ? h-1 (Bergstrom & Hultman, 1967b; Hansen, Asp, Kiens, Richter, 1999; Jentjens & Jeukendrup, 2003; Piehl-Aulin, Soderlund, & Hultman, 2000; Roch-Norlund, Bergstrom, & Hultman, 1972). This suggests that the rate of gastric emptying and intestinal absorption of the ingested carbohydrate, and glucose storage and output into the circulation by the liver, rather than muscle glucose uptake, is limiting to post-exercise muscle glycogen re-synthesis following carbohydrate feeding. Indeed, by using a unique, high molecular weight, low osmolality glucose polymer solution [the lower the osmolality of a carbohydrate polymer solution, the faster its rate of gastric emptying (Hunt, Smith, & Jiang, 1985; Vist & Maughan, 1995)], Piehl-Aulin and colleagues (2000) achieved muscle glycogen synthesis rates following glycogen-depleting exercise that were 70% greater over 2 h (50 vs. 30 mmol ? kg dry muscle-1 ? h-1) compared with a commercially available solution of monomeric and short-chain oligomeric glucose with a lower molecular weight (500,000 - 700,000 vs. ∼500 g ? mol-1) and higher osmolality (60 - 84 vs. ∼300 mOsmol ? kg-1). Using the same carbohydrate solutions, Leiper and colleagues (Leiper, Aulin, & Soderlund, 2000) confirmed that this observation was likely to be due to a two-fold greater rate of gastric emptying in the first 10 min after carbohydrate administration.

Taking these observations together, we predicted that achieving a greater re-synthesis of muscle glycogen following glycogen-depleting exercise would result in the enhancement of performance during a subsequent bout of exercise. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of a unique, high molecular weight glucose polymer solution, ingested immediately after exhaustive exercise, on performance during a subsequent cycling time-trial, compared with an isoenergetic, commercially available, low molecular weight glucose polymer solution, in healthy, recreationally active young males.

Materials and methods


Participants


Eight healthy, recreationally active young men (mean age 23.0 years, s = 4.5; body mass 78.7 kg, s = 7.6; body mass index 24.3 kg ? m-2, s = 2.4), recruited from the student population at the University of Nottingham, participated in the present study, which was approved by the University of Nottingham Medical School Ethics Committee in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Before taking part in the study, all participants underwent routine medical screening and completed a general health questionnaire. All participants provided their informed consent to take part in the study and were aware that they were free to withdraw from the experiment at any point. Upon entry to the study each participant performed a continuous, incremental exercise test to exhaustion on an electrically braked cycle ergometer (Lode Excalibur, Lode, Groningen, The Netherlands) to determine their maximal oxygen uptake (O2max), which was confirmed no less than 3 days later. The mean O2max for the group was 47.8 ml ? min-1 ? kg-1 (s = 4.4). Each participant was then familiarized with prolonged cycling exercise at least 1 week before the start of the experiment.

Experimental protocol


Each participant reported to the laboratory at 09.00 h on three randomized occasions, separated by at least 1 week, and voided their bladder. The visits were randomized to eliminate any training effect of the prolonged exercise protocol. All participants were instructed to maintain the same dietary intake in the previous 24 h, and to abstain from alcohol and strenuous exercise in the previous 48 h. On arrival at the laboratory, participants were asked to rest in a supine position on a bed for 20 min while a cannula was inserted retrogradely into a superficial vein on the dorsal surface of the non-dominant hand for subsequent venous blood sampling. A 0.9% saline drip (Baxter Healthcare, Northampton, UK) was attached to keep the cannula patent. Participants then performed two-legged cycling exercise on an electrically braked cycle ergometer (Lode Excalibur, Lode, Groningen, The Netherlands) to the point of exhaustion at a predetermined workload equivalent to 75%O2max (217 W, s = 13), while maintaining a pedalling frequency of 70 rev ? min-1. Participants were allowed to stop exercising at any time, but after a short rest of up to 5 min were required to resume exercise. In an attempt to maximize depletion of muscle glycogen stores, this work - rest protocol was repeated until participants were no longer able to maintain a pedal frequency of 70 rev ? min-1 for more than 2 min. We have previously demonstrated that this protocol results in almost complete muscle glycogen depletion in the exercised leg (Casey et al., 1995). To eliminate the effect of volume on gastric emptying, consumption of water was allowed ad libitum throughout exercise on the first visit, with the pattern of consumption then repeated for the following visits.

Immediately after exercise, participants rested in a semi-supine position on a bed for 2 h with their hand in a hand-warming unit (air temperature 50 - 55?C) to arterialize the venous drainage of the hand (Gallen & MacDonald, 1990). Thereafter, participants ingested a one-litre solution containing sugar-free flavoured water (control), 100 g of a low molecular weight (approximately 900 g ? mol-1) glucose polymer derived from hydrolysed corn starch (Maxijul, SHS International, Liverpool, UK), or 100 g of a very high molecular weight (approximately 500,000 - 700,000 g ? mol-1) glucose polymer, also derived from corn starch (Vitargo, Swecarb AB, Kalmar, Sweden). The carbohydrate solutions were isoenergetic (∼1600 kJ), with osmolalties of 124 and 34 mOsmol ? kg-1 for the low and very high molecular weight drinks, respectively. The low molecular weight drink was chosen as we believe it is representative of the standard ?recovery? carbohydrate (maltodextrin) drink on the market (e.g. Science in Sport PSP22, High5 EnergySource). Two hours after the consumption of the drink, participants were asked to perform as much work as possible in 15 min of cycling exercise on an electrically braked cycle ergometer (Lode Excalibur, Lode, Groningen, The Netherlands). This endurance performance time-trial, which has been shown to be reproducible in trained athletes [coefficient of variation of 3.5% (Jeukendrup, Saris, Brouns, & Kester, 1996)] and recreationally active participants similar to the present cohort (coefficient of variation of 1.6%), consisted of pedalling at the highest intensity sustainable on the cycle ergometer for 15 min. The ergometer was programmed to a pedalling-dependent mode such that with an increase in pedalling rate, the work rate was also increased. During the test, participants were only made aware of the time remaining so that they could pace themselves to maximize work output. The total amount of work performed in 15 min, recorded every second on a computer attached to the ergometer, was taken as a measure of endurance performance.

Sample collection and analysis


During the recovery period of each experimental visit, 3 ml of arterialized venous blood were obtained every 10 min and used immediately for measurement of blood glucose concentration (YSI 2300 STATplus, Yellow Springs Instruments, OH, USA). The remaining blood was allowed to clot and, after centrifugation, the serum was stored frozen at -80?C. Insulin was measured in these samples at a later date with a radioimmunoassy kit (Coat-a-Count Insulin, DPC, CA, USA).

Statistical analysis


A two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (time and treatment effects; GraphPad Prism 4.02, GraphPad Software Inc, CA) was performed to locate differences in blood glucose and serum insulin concentration during the recovery period. When a significant main effect was detected, the data were analysed further with a Student's paired t-test using the Bonferroni correction. A one-way analysis of variance with Tukey's post-hoc test was used to locate any differences in exercise performance. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05, and all the values presented in the text and figures are reported as means and standard deviations (s).

Results


Glycogen-depleting exercise


Mean time to exhaustion for the sugar-free flavoured water (control), low molecular weight solution, and high molecular weight solution was 91 min (s = 12), 90 min (s = 15), and 88 min (s = 9), respectively, while cycling at an exercise intensity of 73.4% (s = 0.8), 72.5% (s = 1.9), and 73.1% (s = 1.3) of O2max, respectively.

Blood glucose


Blood glucose concentration was the same following the bout of exhaustive exercise during the sugar-free flavoured water (3.9 mmol ? l-1, s = 0.3), low molecular weight solution (3.7 mmol ? l-1, s = 0.2), and high molecular weight solution (3.9 mmol ? l-1, s = 0.4) trials ( Figure 1). After consumption of the sugar-free flavoured water, blood glucose concentration remained at 3.9 mmol ? l-1 for 2 h. Following consumption of the low and high molecular weight solutions, blood glucose concentration increased to a peak of 7.3 mmol ? l-1 (s = 0.8) and 8.1 mmol ? l-1 (s = 0.5) after 50 and 30 min, respectively, and then declined to similar values of 6.1 mmol ? l-1 (s = 0.5) and 6.1 mmol ? l-1 (s = 0.7), respectively, after 2 h. This increase in blood glucose concentration occurred at a faster rate following consumption of the high than the low molecular solution (0.14 vs. 0.07 mmol ? l-1 ? min-1), such that blood glucose concentration was higher at 10 (P < 0.05), 20 (P < 0.01), 30 (P < 0.001), and 40 (P < 0.01) min following ingestion.


Figure 1. Blood glucose concentration during a 2-h period of recovery from glycogen-depleting exercise and following the ingestion of a one-litre solution containing sugar-free flavoured water (CON), 100 g of a low molecular weight glucose polymer (LMW) or 100 g of a very high molecular weight glucose polymer (HMW). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.01, HMW significantly greater than LMW. Values are means ? standard deviations.

Serum insulin


Serum insulin concentration was the same following the bout of exhaustive exercise during the sugar-free flavoured water (5.4 mU ? l-1, s = 2.9), low molecular weight solution (5.2 mU ? l-1, s = 3.0), and high molecular weight solution trials (6.1 mU ? l-1, s = 2.7), respectively ( Figure 2). Following consumption of the sugar-free flavoured water, serum insulin concentration remained around 6.0 mU ? l-1 for 2 h. Following consumption of the low and high molecular weight solutions, serum insulin concentration increased to a peak of 68.7 mU ? l-1 (s = 33.2) and 80.6 mU ? l-1 (s = 52.8) after 40 and 70 min, respectively, and then declined to similar values of 45.7 mU ? l-1 (s = 18.7) and 48.0 mU ? l-1 (s = 20.4), respectively, after 2 h. Serum insulin concentration was greater following consumption of the high than the low molecular weight solution at 20 (P < 0.05), 30 (P < 0.01), and 40 (P < 0.01) min following ingestion.


Figure 2. Serum insulin concentration during a 2-h period of recovery from glycogen-depleting exercise and following the ingestion of a one-litre solution containing sugar-free flavoured water (CON), 100 g of a low molecular weight glucose polymer (LMW) or 100 g of a very high molecular weight glucose polymer (HMW). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, HMW significantly greater than LMW. Values are means ? standard deviations.

Work output


Work output during the 15-min endurance performance time-trial test, performed 2 h after the ingestion of the sugar-free flavoured water, low molecular weight solution, and high molecular weight solution, was 137.5 kJ (s = 24.2), 149.4 kJ (s = 21.8), and 164.1 kJ (s = 21.1), respectively. Work output following the consumption of the low and high molecular weight solutions was greater than that following the consumption of the sugar-free flavoured water (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, work output was 10% greater (P < 0.01) following ingestion of the high than the low molecular weight solution. Importantly, this increase in work output was observed in all participants studied (range 3.4 - 23.3%; Figure 3).


Figure 3. Work output for each individual participant during a 15-min ?all-out? cycling time-trial that was performed 2 h after glycogen-depleting exercise and the ingestion of a one-litre solution containing sugar-free flavoured water (CON), 100 g of a low molecular weight glucose polymer (LMW) or 100 g of a very high molecular weight glucose polymer (HMW). **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, LMW and HMW significantly greater than CON, respectively. ??P < 0.01, HMW significantly greater than LMW.

Discussion


The main aim of the present study was to determine the effect of a unique, high molecular weight glucose polymer solution (known to increase the rate of gastric emptying and post-exercise muscle glycogen re-synthesis, compared with a low molecular weight glucose polymer solution) on performance during a subsequent cycling time-trial. In this respect, work output 2 h after glycogen-depleting exercise and the ingestion of the high molecular weight solution was 20% greater (P < 0.001) than with the sugar-free flavoured water and, more importantly, 10% greater (P < 0.01) than with the low molecular weight solution. Furthermore, this positive performance effect of the high molecular weight solution was observed in all eight participants ( Figure 3).

Previous studies have shown that the high molecular weight solution used in the present study emptied from the stomach twice as fast, and resulted in a 70% greater increase in muscle glycogen content 2 h after glycogen-depleting exercise, compared with a low molecular weight solution (Leiper et al., 2000; Piehl-Aulin et al., 2000). In accordance with this, peak blood glucose concentration following ingestion of the high molecular weight solution in the present study was 10% greater, and occurred 20 min earlier, than with the low molecular weight solution ( Figure 1). Furthermore, the rate of increase in blood glucose concentration was two-fold greater over the first 30 min following ingestion, which is in line with the two-fold greater rate of gastric emptying observed during the initial 10 min following ingestion of the high molecular weight solution by Leiper and colleagues (2000). The rapid increase in blood glucose concentration following ingestion of the high molecular weight solution also resulted in a significantly higher serum insulin concentration during the first hour of recovery (Figure 2). In the present study, there were no differences between visits in exercise time to exhaustion in the ?glycogen-depleting? phase of the study, suggesting that post-exercise muscle glycogen content was similar across treatments at exhaustion. Furthermore, blood glucose values before the cycling time-trial were the same for the high and low molecular weight trials. It is reasonable to speculate, therefore, that the improvement in exercise performance observed after ingestion of the high molecular weight solution in the present study was the result of greater re-synthesis of the skeletal muscle glycogen store during the 2 h of recovery following exhaustive exercise compared with after ingestion of the low molecular weight solution, particularly as the ingestion of carbohydrate per se resulted in an increase in performance compared with ingestion of the sugar-free flavoured water.

It should be noted, however, that in the study of Piehl-Aulin and colleagues (2000), there were no differences in blood glucose or serum insulin concentration between the high molecular weight and control drink. The reasons for the discrepancy between the findings of the present study and those of Piehl-Aulin et al. (2000) are unclear, but could be because a mixture of monomeric and short-chain oligomeric glucose, with a lower molecular weight than the low molecular weight drink used in the present study (∼500 vs. ∼900 g ? mol-1), was used in the control drink by Piehl-Aulin and colleagues. Additionally, any potential differences in blood glucose or serum insulin concentration during recovery in Piehl-Aulin and colleagues' study could have been missed because of the use of venous blood sampling (as opposed to arterialized-venous sampling in the present study), the relatively large time interval in blood sampling (30 min), the large inter-individual variation in blood glucose and serum insulin, or the repeated ingestion of carbohydrate every 30 min of recovery. Also, Piehl-Aulin et al. (2000) speculated that if a faster delivery of glucose to the intestine is combined with a faster glucose uptake by the muscle cell immediately after exercise, this may mask an increase in delivery of glucose to the blood from the intestine and result only in minor changes in blood glucose concentration.

Since the pioneering work of Bergstrom and Hultman in the 1960s (Bergstrom & Hultman, 1966, 1967a, 1967b; Bergstrom et al., 1967), it has been recognized that a clear relationship exists between pre-exercise muscle glycogen concentration and prolonged exercise performance. In the present study, a 15-min high-intensity sub-maximal time-trial was used to measure exercise performance and it is unquestionable that, assuming a normal pre-exercise muscle glycogen content of 350 - 450 mmol ? kg dry muscle-1, muscle glycogen availability will not limit performance in this test. However, given that the participants performed prolonged exhaustive exercise before the time-trial, it is clear that muscle glycogen content would have been markedly reduced. Indeed, we have previously shown that this exercise model reduces muscle glycogen content to ∼25 mmol ? kg dry muscle-1 (Casey, Short, Hultman, & Greenhaff, 1995). Thus, we propose that muscle glycogen content would not have been restored during the 2 h of recovery that preceded the 15-min time-trial, particularly in the control condition where only water was ingested, such that its availability would have limited exercise performance during the 15-min time-trial (particularly in the control trial). By way of example, in the study by Piehl-Aulin et al. (2000), muscle glycogen content increased from 60 to 118 and 153 mmol ? kg dry muscle-1 during the 2 h of recovery following glycogen-depleting exercise in the low and high molecular weight trials, respectively. Furthermore, 300 g of carbohydrate was administered in Piehl-Aulin and colleagues' study compared with only 100 g in the present study. It is plausible, therefore, that post-exercise re-synthesis of muscle glycogen following the ingestion of the high molecular weight solution in the present study could well account for the increase in performance observed in all participants compared with the low molecular weight solution and certainly the sugar-free flavoured water. This is particularly the case when one considers that untrained individuals (normal pre-exercise muscle glycogen content of ∼300 mmol ? kg dry muscle-1) will utilize around 150 mmol ? kg dry muscle-1 of glycogen during 15 min of cycling exercise at 85%O2max (Dyck et al., 1993), which, based on heart rate responses, approximates the workload achieved in the present time-trial (170 - 180 beats ? min-1; data not shown).

The degree of glycogen re-synthesis in the liver may have also contributed to the difference in 15-min time-trial performance following post-exercise ingestion of the high molecular weight solution in the present study, particularly as liver-biopsy studies in healthy human volunteers have clearly demonstrated that the liver is extremely sensitive to changes in dietary carbohydrate intake (Nilsson & Hultman, 1973). Indeed, magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies have demonstrated that following exhaustive exercise liver glycogen is depleted to a considerable extent and, if the post-exercise carbohydrate load is inadequate, glycogen re-synthesis can impair glucose release from the liver and subsequent exercise capacity (Casey et al., 2000).

Conclusion


The ingestion of a unique, hign molecular weight glucose polymer solution (known to increase post-exercise muscle glucose delivery and glycogen re-synthesis compared with a standard, low molecular weight glucose polymer solution) increased work output during a subsequent highly reproducible, high-intensity sub-maximal time-trial cycling test. Furthermore, this effect was observed in all participants studied. These findings could be of practical importance for athletes who partake in training sessions, or indeed competitions, where rapid re-synthesis of the muscle glycogen store is required and performance must be maintained during a second period of exercise. It is noteworthy, however, that ingestion of this high molecular weight glucose polymer solution immediately before exercise does not appear to increase carbohydrate oxidation during exercise compared with a low molecular weight solution (Rowlands et al., 2005), most likely because carbohydrate oxidation during exercise is not limited by gastric emptying or muscle carbohydrate delivery following pre-exercise carbohydrate feeding. Thus, it would appear that the high molecular weight solution should be ingested immediately following exhaustive exercise when a significant period of recovery is anticipated before a subsequent bout of exercise.

References


1. Bergstrom, J., Hermansen, L., Hultman, E. and Saltin, B. (1967) Diet, muscle glycogen and physical performance. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica 71 , pp. 140-150. [your library's links]
2. Bergstrom, J. and Hultman, E. (1966) Muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise: An enhancing factor localized to the muscle cells in man. Nature 210 , pp. 309-310. [your library's links]
3. Bergstrom, J. and Hultman, E. (1967a) A study of the glycogen metabolism during exercise in man. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation 19 , pp. 218-228. [your library's links]
4. Bergstrom, J. and Hultman, E. (1967b) Synthesis of muscle glycogen in man after glucose and fructose infusion. Acta Medica Scandinavica 182 , pp. 93-107. [your library's links]
5. Broberg, S. and Sahlin, K. (1989) Adenine nucleotide degradation in human skeletal muscle during prolonged exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology 67 , pp. 116-122. [your library's links]
6. Casey, A., Mann, R., Banister, K., Fox, J., Morris, P. G. Macdonald, I. A. et al. (2000) Effect of carbohydrate ingestion on glycogen resynthesis in human liver and skeletal muscle, measured by (13)C MRS. American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism 278 , pp. E65-E75. [your library's links]
7. Casey, A., Short, A. H., Hultman, E. and Greenhaff, P. L. (1995) Glycogen resynthesis in human muscle fibre types following exercise-induced glycogen depletion. Journal of Physiology 483 , pp. 265-271. [your library's links]
8. Dyck, D. J., Putman, C. T., Heigenhauser, G. J., Hultman, E. and Spriet, L. L. (1993) Regulation of fat-carbohydrate interaction in skeletal muscle during intense aerobic cycling. American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism 265 , pp. E852-E859. [your library's links]
9. Gallen, I. W. and MacDonald, I. A. (1990) Effect of two methods of hand heating on body temperature, forearm blood flow, and deep venous oxygen saturation. American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism 259 , pp. E639-E643. [your library's links]
10. Hansen, B. F., Asp, S., Kiens, B. and Richter, E. A. (1999) Glycogen concentration in human skeletal muscle: Effect of prolonged insulin and glucose infusion. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 9 , pp. 209-213. [your library's links]
11. Hultman, E., Bergstrom, J. and Anderson, N. M. (1967) Breakdown and resynthesis of phosphorylcreatine and adenosine triphosphate in connection with muscular work in man. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation 19 , pp. 56-66. [your library's links]
12. Hunt, J. N., Smith, J. L. and Jiang, C. L. (1985) Effect of meal volume and energy density on the gastric emptying of carbohydrates. Gastroenterology 89 , pp. 1326-1330. [your library's links]
13. Jentjens, R. and Jeukendrup, A. (2003) Determinants of post-exercise glycogen synthesis during short-term recovery. Sports Medicine 33 , pp. 117-144. [your library's links]
14. Jeukendrup, A., Saris, W. H., Brouns, F. and Kester, A. D. (1996) A new validated endurance performance test. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 28 , pp. 266-270. [your library's links]
15. Leiper, J. B., Aulin, K. P. and Soderlund, K. (2000) Improved gastric emptying rate in humans of a unique glucose polymer with gel-forming properties. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology 35 , pp. 1143-1149. [your library's links]
16. Nilsson, L. H. and Hultman, E. (1973) Liver glycogen in man: The effect of total starvation or a carbohydrate-poor diet followed by carbohydrate refeedings. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation 32 , pp. 325-330. [your library's links]
17. Piehl Aulin, K., Soderlund, K. and Hultman, E. (2000) Muscle glycogen resynthesis rate in humans after supplementation of drinks containing carbohydrates with low and high molecular masses. European Journal of Applied Physiology 81 , pp. 346-351. [your library's links]
18. Roch-Norlund, A. E., Bergstrom, J. and Hultman, E. (1972) Muscle glycogen and glycogen synthetase in normal subjects and in patients with diabetes mellitus: Effect of intravenous glucose and insulin administration. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation 30 , pp. 77-84. [your library's links]
19. Rowlands, D. S., Wallis, G. A., Shaw, C., Jentjens, R. L. and Jeukendrup, A. E. (2005) Glucose polymer molecular weight does not affect exogenous carbohydrate oxidation. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 37 , pp. 1510-1516. [your library's links]
20. Vist, G. E. and Maughan, R. J. (1995) The effect of osmolality and carbohydrate content on the rate of gastric emptying of liquids in man. Journal of Physiology 486 , pp. 523-531. [your library's links]

End of Quote.


Fadi.

Fadi...I have a four letter word for this ...... WOW!

and whilst I expected the response, I have to single out the one line which will require clarification before going forth.

"100 g of a very high molecular weight (approximately 500,000 - 700,000 g ? mol-1) glucose polymer, also derived from corn starch (Vitargo, Swecarb AB, Kalmar, Sweden)."

When you refer to Waxy Maize Starch are you referring to Vitargo? If so then you and I are actually in agreement however if you are using this study to prove that the high molecular glucose polymer being referred to here is WMS then this is the purpose of my post.

This study suggests that the carb source that has an optimal pre and post workout profile for the resynthesis of glycogen after tough workouts, fast gastric emptying, and improved performance, has a high molecular weight and low osmolality and should spike blood glucose and insulin levels post workout is a patented carb sold under the name Vitargo.

What sellers of WMS have done is use the data and claims from Vitargo and applied them to WMS, as if the two were interchangeable, with some getting the impression WMS is just a generic form of Vitargo, which is not the case. For example, sellers of WMS claim it’s absorbed rapidly, increases glycogen stores quicker than other carb sources, and improves performance (similar to Vitargo), but the studies that exist do not support that (or show the opposite…) and or simply don’t exist to support it as the studies above clearly demonstrate. What does exist, however, are studies showing Vitargo to have these effects. It appears that the sellers of WMS have “pirated” the studies actually done on Vitargo as if they were interchangeable carbs sources, when they are not. As already shown, WMS is, at best, about equal to maltodextrin and dextrose, or inferior to those carb sources, depending on which study you read. For example a study just completed and soon to be published- out of Purdue University, found WMS had a 3 times lower glucose response compared to maltodextrin, and a 3 times lower insulin response, and even 2 times lower than white bread! (3) So even white bread appears to be a superior post workout carb source than WMS if one is looking to spike glucose and insulin levels, which leads to enhanced rates of glycogen storage and anti-catabolism.

It’s interesting to note that WMS has been shown to have such a slow and steady effect on glucose and insulin levels, scientist now routinely refer to it as “slow digesting” or “low glycemic.”

QUOTE
So What Of Vitargo?

Vitargo is an interesting starch carbohydrate with some interesting properties. A study published in 2000 compared Vitargo to maltodextrin plus sugars and their respective effects on glycogen storage after an exhaustive exercise protocol and found Vitargo to be far superior to malto/sugars for rapidly replacing muscle glycogen levels both two and four hours after the exercise sessions (4). By “far superior” I mean 70% better over the 2 hour period, which is no small amount.
A follow up study published in 2008 found similar effects, but with some additional twists in support of Vitargo as a unique carb source. This study found that Vitargo was superior for performance during a subsequent bout of maximal exercise just 2 hours after glycogen-depleting exercise. In a nut shell, on three randomized visits 8 guys were put through an exercise protocol designed to use up a bunch of their stored glycogen (ergo, they were glycogen depleted), and then fed 100g of either Vitargo, malto/sugars, or flavored/artificially sweetened water as control. They waited 2 hours and tested their performance (ability to do “work”) via a 15 minute high intensity time trial test on a cycle ergometer and found the group that had been fed the Vitargo right after the prior workout 2 hours before had superior performance for the second high intensity trial. This makes perfect sense; if Vitargo rapidly replaces glycogen levels in muscle and the liver, the person will be able to perform better during their next exercise session, especially if those bouts of exercise are within the same day. If glycogen levels are not boosted back up by the next exercise session, performance will suffer. As the authors of this study summarized well:

“Limiting factors to post-exercise muscle glycogen re-synthesis following carbohydrate feeding include the amount, timing, and form of carbohydrate administered, the rate of gastric emptying and intestinal absorption of the ingested carbohydrate, glucose storage and output by the liver, and muscle glucose transport and oxidation.”

Translated, it’s not as simple as just the carbohydrate’s glycemic rating or whether it’s a “simple” or “complex” carb. There are a lot of other factors involved and science has come a long way in understanding what those biological factors are.

Gastric emptying rates are another important issue to athletes as the faster it leaves the stomach the faster it enters the intestines where it is digested and absorbed. Fast gastric emptying and digestion means the faster glucose levels, insulin spikes, and subsequent glycogen storage and enhanced post workout anti-catabolic action, not to mention no one enjoys having a drink sloshing around in their stomach during or after a workout. It’s just unpleasant and if it’s sloshing around in your gut it’s not doing squat for your muscles! A 2000 study compared the gastric emptying rates of Vitargo to a carb source derived from maize starch and found Vitargo “significantly” faster emptying rate from the stomach, which would partly explain why Vitargo appears to replenish depleted glycogen levels so quickly when compared to other carb sources (5).
END QUOTE

Vitargo and WMS are not the same thing.

Vitargo can be made from WMS among other things as its initial input (as well as wheat, potatoes rice etc..), but following the processing the output is quite considerably different. The patent on the product states

it will be found there have occurred novel types of bonds which do not occur traditionally in native starch.

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What this means, supposedly, that it is a 'designer starch' with unique properties not found in the original ingredient it is derived from. Now this can be pretty exciting, however there is no enough science to support the claims.

You know what Mr. King and Jason; I think you're both right. I tried two WMS products, and the effects were like chalk and cheese. So in actual fact, what the study that I've presented says is that a HMW carb does deliver the goods more efficiently than a LMW carb. However the problem we're facing now is with the manufacture and advertisers who claim that WMS belongs to the HMW family.

Like I've said above, I've tried two WMS products and the effects whilst being phenomenal for one; were just dismal for the other. So where do we go from here?

I see a great product (which I'm willing to buy again) has its reputation ruined by a fake. Not happy Jan!

Again, I really thank you for that wonderful reply Kingpin, and also your point of notice is much appreciated Jason. Well done.

PS: If you're interested in knowing the name of the products I mentioned above, then please PM me.


Fadi.

You're a gentleman Fadi...

I use WMS instead of Maltodextryn, the study does say that its able to provide sustained carb utilisation even after 4 hrs, goes well with Casseine, is not sweet and doesn't give you gas.

I've spent the last 8 weeks using WMS. It's an unusual tasting product, that's for sure! Am 'i' able to pinpoint any direct results back to it? Not really. What I can say though is that while using it I've become a pretty effective athlete, since that's really the only new variable into my training.

It has pushed my body weight up slightly, possibly due to additional water retention. Which isn't an actual problem (for myself). I love this thread.

If you look at the 1st study, Id think for you to actually notice any difference throughout your routine with WMS, you would want to say you trained a fairly intense and serious bodybuilding routine, it does not say much about the participants in the study, if they are just random untrained ppl that have never stepped foot into
a gym, or they are ppl with weightlifting history, just says there "physically fit". So who or what method judges this statement? And to what level?
I really think alot of the truth in these studies are the actual participants themselves,
what society views as physically fit and what many of us as weight lifters view as the same id say would be quite a different perspective.

I dont touch it... Dextrose monohydrate olah!

Robbo that's a good point. There's a big difference between men & women studying & training sport at a degree level, john doe who has never trained at all, professional weightlifters & local gym supposed hardcore trainee's

PowerBuilder said:

Robbo that's a good point. There's a big difference between men & women studying & training sport at a degree level, john doe who has never trained at all, professional weightlifters & local gym supposed hardcore trainee's

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There is a big difference between men and women in general.. This is an article i cited for a recent essay trying to go "against" the heavily carbohyrate biased nutrient requirements for women as set out by the government...

javascript:AL_get(this, 'jour', 'Br J Sports Med.');

Br J Sports Med. 2006 Sep;40(9):742-8. Epub 2006 Jul 19.
Nutritional aspects of women strength athletes.

Volek JS, Forsythe CE, Kraemer WJ.
Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, 2095 Hillside Road, U-1110, Storrs, CT 06269-1110, USA. jeff.volek@uconn.edu
Abstract

Strength training elicits sports related and health benefits for both men and women. Although sexual dimorphism is observed in exercise metabolism, there is little information outlining the specific nutritional needs of women strength athletes. Many women athletes restrict energy intake, specifically fat consumption, in order to modify body composition, but this nutritional practice is often counter-productive. Compared to men, women appear to be less reliant on glycogen during exercise and less responsive to carbohydrate mediated glycogen synthesis during recovery. Female strength athletes may require more protein than their sedentary and endurance training counterparts to attain positive nitrogen balance and promote protein synthesis. Therefore, women strength athletes should put less emphasis on a very high carbohydrate intake and more emphasis on quality protein and fat consumption in the context of energy balance to enhance adaptations to training and improve general health. Attention to timing of nutrient ingestion, macronutrient quality, and dietary supplementation (for example, creatine) are briefly discussed as important components of a nutritionally adequate and effective strength training diet for women.

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javascript:AL_get(this, 'jour', 'Br J Sports Med.');javascript:AL_get(this, 'jour', 'Br J Sports Med.');

n00bs said:

I dont touch it... Dextrose monohydrate olah!

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n00bs, is your decision to not use WMS based on negative qualities of WMS or superior positive qualitives of the dextrose?

I am hoping you just think dextrose is better and there is nothing wrong with WMS...

stralian said:

n00bs, is your decision to not use WMS based on negative qualities of WMS or superior positive qualitives of the dextrose?

I am hoping you just think dextrose is better and there is nothing wrong with WMS...

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Dextrose is 2 bucks a kilo...

I eat a proper diet at the end of the day consistancy will be the main winner...

WPI/WPC WMS/dextrose meh meh...

I really want to start having a training drink consisting of Waxy Maize, Ascorbic Acid, Glutamine, BCAA and Creatine.

Have heard really good things about it.

BigJim said:

I really want to start having a training drink consisting of Waxy Maize, Ascorbic Acid, Glutamine, BCAA and Creatine.

Have heard really good things about it.

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Use EAA's, as I have said many times, they contain all the 3 BCAA's + more.

Don't use creatine. Creatine must be consumed immeadiately or it will turn to creatinol*.

BigJim said:

I really want to start having a training drink consisting of Waxy Maize, Ascorbic Acid, Glutamine, BCAA and Creatine.

Have heard really good things about it.

Click to expand...

Just be mindful of your timing and dosages Jim. Creatine is for post workout and not before; BCAA is for during/mid workout and not before .Vitamin C; well I'll leave that one for you to research yourself otherwise I'd just spoil all the fun wouldn't I now!


Fadi.

Oh really. I was told do just chuck it all in a shaker with 500ml water and sip on it during the workout until its gone, trying to make it last the entire session.

Is the rest of the stuff alright to sip on and then just down the creatine after the session. I didnt realise it would make a difference?

I have already bought the BCAA Shrek, i will have to remember to get EAA's next time.