RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Pre-exercise food and heart rate during submaximal exercise. JF British Journal of Sports Medicine JO Br J Sports Med FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine SP 27 OP 28 DO 10.1136/bjsm.21.1.27 VO 21 IS 1 A1 Bird, S R A1 Hay, S YR 1987 UL http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/21/1/27.abstract AB The heart rates of 20 movement studies students were measured during multi-stage cycle ergometer tests. The tests were repeated on five occasions following the ingestion of different pre-exercise meals and the results compared. A glucose solution taken three hours prior to the exercise (G3) resulted in the lowest heart rates at each work rate. The highest heart rates at each work rate were recorded following the ingestion of glucose or protein one hour before the exercise (G1 and P1 respectively). The heart rate values during G3 were on average 10.3 beat.min-1 lower than those used during G1 and P1. Intermediate heart rates were obtained with protein taken three hours prior to the exercise or a complete fast for 12 to 14 hours. The results have implications for those attempting to predict maximum oxygen uptake from submaximal heart rates.