The increased plasma https://www.selleckchem.com/products/sotrastaurin-aeb071.html insulin level due to high-dose glucose ingestion is pivotal to stimulation of muscle glucose

uptake and glycogen synthesis [3, 4]. Insulin, which is secreted by the pancreatic β-cells upon elevated circulating glucose concentration, stimulates glucose import in muscle cells via the GLUT4 membrane protein. It also stimulates the incorporation of the glucose molecules into the glycogen molecule via activation of the glycogen synthase enzyme [5]. In this regard it is also important to note that muscular insulin sensitivity is markedly increased following muscle contractions [6]. Thus, any intervention that could elevate plasma insulin and/or further increase insulin sensitivity Poziotinib purchase following exercise could facilitate repletion of muscle glycogen stores, and thus serve as a useful recovery agent. In this respect,

the addition of amino acids, and more particularly leucine, to a carbohydrate-rich drink is a frequent strategy used by athletes to increase insulin secretion and thereby enhance glycogen resynthesis. Leucine has a strong insulinotropic action which contributes to a faster glycogen resynthesis after exercise [7, 8]. Based on recent reports [9, 10], Opuntia ficus-indica intake could be another interesting nutritional strategy to stimulate insulin secretion and glycogen resynthesis after exercise. Opuntia ficus-indica is one of the approximately 200 species of the Opuntia genus, which belongs to the Cactaceae family [11]. Opuntia ficus-indica has been found to lower blood glucose and to increase basal plasma insulin levels in animals R428 molecular weight [9, 12] as well as in humans [10, 13, 14]. This indicates a direct action on insulin secretion at the site of pancreatic β-cells rather than an indirect action via increased blood glucose levels. Our group has recently shown that oral intake of a specific extract of Opuntia ficus-indica cladode and fruit skin (OFI) increases serum insulin concentration while reducing blood glucose level for a given amount of glucose ingestion after an endurance exercise bout in healthy young

volunteers [10]. In a dose–response Osimertinib experiment we also found 1000 mg of OFI to cause a maximal increase of plasma insulin concentration. However, we did not evaluate the interaction of OFI with other insulinogenic agents like leucine. Moreover, commercial recovery drinks contain a maximal leucine dose of 3 g whereas only high doses (~7 g) have been shown to increase carbohydrate-induced insulin stimulation after exercise [7, 8, 15]. It is unknown whether lower doses of leucine increase carbohydrates-induced insulin stimulation as well. Against this background, the aims of the present study were: 1) to compare the degree of insulin stimulation by OFI with another prevailing strategy in sports nutrition to stimulate post exercise insulin release, i.e.