d-Allulose Improves Endurance and Recovery from Exhaustion in Male C57BL/6J Mice

Abstract

d-Allulose, a rare sugar, improves glucose metabolism and has been proposed as a candidate calorie restriction mimetic. This study aimed to investigate the effects of d-allulose on aerobic performance and recovery from exhaustion and compared them with the effects of exercise training. Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to exercise and allowed to run freely on a wheel. Aerobic performance was evaluated using a treadmill. Glucose metabolism was analyzed by an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (ipGTT). Skeletal muscle intracellular signaling was analyzed by Western blotting. Four weeks of daily oral administration of 3% d-allulose increased running distance and shortened recovery time as assessed by an endurance test. d-Allulose administration also increased the maximal aerobic speed (MAS), which was observed following treatment for >3 or 7 days. The improved performance was associated with lower blood lactate levels and increased liver glycogen levels. Although d-allulose did not change the overall glucose levels as determined by ipGTT, it decreased plasma insulin levels, indicating enhanced insulin sensitivity. Finally, d-allulose enhanced the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase and the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α. Our results indicate that d-allulose administration enhances endurance ability, reduces fatigue, and improves insulin sensitivity similarly to exercise training. d-Allulose administration may be a potential treatment option to alleviate obesity and enhance aerobic exercise performance.

The Metabolic and Endocrine Effects of a 12-Week Allulose-Rich Diet

“…While liver triglycerides were only elevated in the WD+stevia group, suggesting that allulose may prevent liver fat accumulation, the significant glycogen accumulation across all intervention groups, particularly in the allulose groups, could reflect a shift in nutrient utilization or storage mechanisms. This finding may partly explain those observed by Liu et al [ 15 ] where they reported an improvement in exercise capacity in allulose-fed rodents.…”

“…A primary tissue of interest for allulose is the liver and its differential handling of nutrients, particularly glycogen and hepatic triglycerides. Allulose has been reported to increase the glycogen content in the liver of laboratory rats in association with some increase in mass, despite no effects on liver function or histology [ 15 ]. Consistent with that report, we did observe a significant increase in liver size and glycogen content in the animals on standard diets that received allulose compared to those receiving stevia ( Figure 3 A,B).…”

Efficient Utilization of Fruit Peels for the Bioproduction of D-Allulose and D-Mannitol

“…There are several distinct physiological properties of D-allulose, including modest improvements in postprandial glucose and insulin regulation, [ 3 ], anti-obesity and prevention of type 2 diabetes [ 4 , 5 ], anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-hyperglycemic effects [ 6 ], anti-inflammatory [ 7 ], and anti-atherosclerosis effects [ 8 ]. It also prevents diabetic nephropathy [ 9 ], enhances endurance ability, reduces fatigue [ 10 , 11 ], and inhibits hyperphagia with excessive appetite [ 12 ]. Moreover, it contains a sweetness of 70% sucrose but only 0.4 kcal/g of calories.…”