Acute Effect of Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention Coupled with Fluid Intake on Athletes' Cognitive Function

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

• Physiological changes during halftime in team sports impact second-half performance.
• Effective refueling and rehydration strategies are crucial for athletes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the acute effects of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) combined with fluid intake on cognitive function in soccer players.
• To compare the effects of a non-carbohydrate solution, a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution, and a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution with MBI during a simulated halftime break.

Main Methods:

• A single-blinded, randomized, cross-over design with 14 male soccer players.
• Three halftime treatments: Control (non-CHO fluid), CHO (carbohydrate-electrolyte fluid), and CHO-M (carbohydrate-electrolyte fluid + MBI).
• Cognitive function assessed using Stroop task, Corsi block-tapping test, and rapid visual information processing task; physiological measures also recorded.

Main Results:

• The CHO-M group showed improved performance on the Stroop task compared to Control and CHO groups.
• Both Control and CHO-M groups improved on the Corsi block-tapping test, while the CHO group did not.
• The CHO group demonstrated better performance in the rapid visual information processing task.

Conclusions:

• Mindfulness-based intervention coupled with carbohydrate intake may positively influence athletes' cognitive function.
• Carbohydrate ingestion during halftime has complex effects, showing benefits in some cognitive tasks but not others.