7 g·h-1) (Nutrimarine Innovation AS, Bergen, Norway), 1.7% intact whey protein (12.4 g·h-1) and 8.3% maltodextrin (60 g·h-1). CHO ingestion was set to a level sufficiently high to ensure maximal CHO uptake at all three test day [1]. Accordingly, the three beverages contained equal amounts RG7112 of CHO, which is a functional prerequisite for any sport beverage. The two protein-containing beverages were supplied with iso-caloric amounts of protein. All three beverages were supplemented

with the same flavour. The participants still reported the different beverages to have distinct tastes. Importantly, however, the identity of the beverages was not at any time revealed to either the participants or to the test leader. Moreover, because the participants had no previous experience with the beverages and did not know their detailed composition, they could not identify the different beverages. Notably, Np is not a purified protein source, but rather consists of proteolyzed tissue. Compared to for example mixtures of casein protein it contains excessive amounts of B-vitamin complexes. Importantly, B-vitamins does not seem to provide an ergogenic effect on endurance performance in humans [24]. Test procedure The cyclists were instructed to refrain from intense exercise for the

48 hours preceding each test. They were also instructed to prepare for each test as if it was a competition event and to prepare for the different test sessions in the same way (i.e. ingesting the same type of meal at a set time interval from the test session). They selleck screening library were restricted from eating food for the 90 min preceding each test and from consuming coffee or other caffeine-containing products for the 4 h preceding each test. The cyclists were cooled with a fan throughout the exercise

bouts. All tests were performed under similar environmental conditions (20-22°C). For each cyclist, the three tests involving ingestion of beverages were performed at approximately the same time of day to avoid circadian variance. All cycling tests were performed on the same Aspartate electromagnetically braked cycle ergometer (Lode Excalibur Sport, Lode B. V., Groningen, the Netherlands), which was adjusted in a standardized manner to each cyclist’s preferred seat height, distance between the seat and the handle bars, and horizontal distance between the tip of the seat and the bottom bracket. Cyclists were allowed to choose their preferred cadence during all cycling tests (no differences were found between test days; data not shown) and they were allowed to use their own shoes and pedals. Test of VO2max and familiarization to the 5-min mean-power test In the first test session, the cyclists performed an incremental cycle ergometer test for determination of VO2max, as previously described by Ronnestad et al. [23]. The session was preceded by 20 min of low intensity warm-up on the cycle ergometer, in which the last part included two 45 s periods at higher intensities.