Carbohydrate Mouth Rinse Improves Relative Mean Power During Multiple Sprint Performance

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Nutrition

Background:

• Carbohydrate mouth rinse (CMR) is known to enhance endurance performance under 1 hour.
• Its effects on high-intensity intermittent exercise, common in sports like cycling, are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of CMR on high-intensity intermittent cycling performance.
• To emulate conditions found in cyclocross or mountain biking events.

Main Methods:

• Seven trained male cyclists completed two 48-minute high-intensity intermittent cycling protocols.
• Protocols included cycling bouts and Wingate sprints, with either a 6.4% carbohydrate solution (CMR) or placebo (PLA) rinse before sprints.
• A counterbalanced crossover design was employed.

Main Results:

• A significant main effect for mean power favored CMR (10.51 W/kg) over placebo (10.33 W/kg).
• Post hoc analysis showed significant performance improvement with CMR specifically during the final sprint bout.
• No significant differences were observed in peak power, fatigue index, perceived exertion, or blood glucose levels.

Conclusions:

• CMR can provide a small but significant ergogenic benefit in high-intensity intermittent exercise, particularly in later stages.
• This method may be advantageous for athletes who experience GI distress with fluid consumption.
• CMR offers a practical strategy to enhance performance when substantial fluid intake is undesirable.