Four weeks’ corticosteroid inhalation does not augment maximal power output in endurance athletes

Objective: To assess possible ergogenic properties of corticosteroid administration. Design: A balanced, double-blind, placebo-controlled design was used. Participants: 28 well-trained cyclists and rowers. Intervention: 4 weeks’ daily inhalation of 800 μg budesonide or placebo. Main outcome measurements: The subjects performed three incremental cycle ergometer tests until exhaustion, before and after 2 and 4 weeks of placebo or budesonide administration, to measure maximal power output (W max ). Once a week they filled in a profile of mood state (POMS) questionnaire. Results: There was no significant difference in W max between the placebo (376 (SD 25) W) and the corticosteroid group (375 (36) W) during the preintervention test, and there were no significant changes in either group after 2 and 4 weeks of intervention. No effect of the intervention on mood state was found. Conclusion: 4 weeks of corticosteroid or placebo inhalation in healthy, well-trained athletes did not affect maximal power output or mood state. Hence no ergogenic properties of 4 weeks’ corticosteroid administration could be demonstrated, which corroborates previous studies of short-term corticosteroid administration.