The effect of carbohydrate mouth rinse on intermittent sprint performance in soccer players

Aim: Carbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinsing in the oral cavity has been shown to increase especially endurance exercise performance. Mechanisms responsible for this ergogenic effect may be related to receptors in oral cavity that detect CHO, in turn, increase neural drive to the motor unite. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of CHO mouth rinsing on intermittent sprint performance in soccer players. Material and Method: With randomised, double-blind, crossover, counterbalanced research design, fifteen amateur male soccer players (Mean±SD age:20.00±2.44 years, height:177.66±4.80 cm, body mass:75.02±6.42 kg) completed 3 sessions consisting of 12x4 seconds intermittent sprint tests with administering 10-second mouth rinse protocols before each sprint; a-) %6.4 carbohydrate solution (CHO)  b-) water as a placebo (PLA) and 3-) no rinse as a control (CON). At rest, immediately after test and in active and passive recevory periods, blood glucose (BG), blood lactate (BL), heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were assessed. Results: Compared with the CON condition, CHO and PLA increased significantly peak and mean power output (P 0.05) but HR were significantly different in CON than CHO and PLA. Morover, RPE was significantly different in CON than PLA but not than CHO. Conclusion: CHO mouth rinsing does not improve peak and mean power when compared to PLA, but as a nocebo effect, CHO and PLA improve peak and mean power output with regard to CON.