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The Effects of Varying Dietary Fat on Performance and Metabolism in Trained Male and Female Runners

Departments of Physical Therapy, Exercise & Nutrition Sciences and Physiology and The Sports Medicine Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York

Address reprint requests to: Dr. Peter J. Horvath, 15 Farber Hall, Nutrition Program, Department of Physical Therapy, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214.

Objectives: Low dietary fat intake has become the diet of choice for many athletes. Recent studies in animals and humans suggest that a high fat diet may increase o_{2 max} and endurance. We studied the effects of a low, medium and high fat diet on performance and metabolism in runners.

Methods: Twelve male and 13 female runners (42 miles/week) ate diets of 16% and 31% fat for four weeks. Six males and six females increased their fat intakes to 44%. All diets were designed to be isocaloric. Endurance and O_{2 max} were tested at the end of each diet. Plasma levels of lactate, pyruvate, glucose, glycerol, and triglycerides were measured before and after the O_{2 max} and endurance runs. Free fatty acids were measured during the O_{2 max} and endurance runs.

Results: Runners on the low fat diet ate 19% fewer calories than on the medium or high fat diets. Body weight, percent body fat (males=71 kg and 16%; females=57 kg and 19%), O_{2 max} and anaerobic power were not affected by the level of dietary fat. Endurance time increased from the low fat to medium fat diet by 14%. No differences were seen in plasma lactate, glucose, glycerol, triglycerides and fatty acids when comparing the low versus the medium fat diet. Subjects who increased dietary fat to 44% had higher plasma pyruvate (46%) and lower lactate levels (39%) after the endurance run.

Conclusion: These results suggest that runners on a low fat diet consume fewer calories and have reduced endurance performance than on a medium or high fat diet. A high fat diet, providing sufficient total calories, does not compromise anaerobic power.

Key words: O_{2 max}, endurance, expiratory gas exchange ratio, dietary fat intake, fat oxidation, lactate, runners

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