Background
Post-exercise ingestion of a high molecular weight (HMW) carbohydrate (CHO) solution has been shown to result in greater rates of muscle glycogen synthesis, attributed, in part, to the higher rates of gastric emptying compared to a low molecular weight (LMW) CHO solution. Given the higher rate of gastric emptying, a more rapid rise of glucose and insulin would be expected. However, differences have been reported in the pattern and time course of the subsequent insulin and glucose responses following ingestion. These differences have been attributed to timing and technique (venous vs. arterialized venous) of blood sampling. Thus, the current study sought to examine differences in the glucose, insulin, and glucagon response to post-exercise ingestion of a HMW and LMW CHO solution.