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Fig. 3 | BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation

Fig. 3

From: Exercise as ‘precision medicine’ for insulin resistance and its progression to type 2 diabetes: a research review

Fig. 3

The reciprocal relationship that exists between lipid and carbohydrate use during exercise of increasing intensity. Top panel: As exercise work rate is increased during incremental exercise, the rate of lipid oxidation also increases to reach its maximum value at a mid-range intensity before decreasing and becoming negligible as the highest achievable work rates are encountered. Bottom Panel: The combination of increasing energy expenditure, increasing carbohydrate contribution and the reduced reliance on lipid (see above) as exercise intensity increases results in a ‘crossover’ point beyond which lipid is no longer the predominant fuel. WRpeak, peak work rate during incremental exercise

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