Carbohydrate Rinse Fails to Enhance Cycling Performance or Alter Metabolic and Autonomic Recovery in Recreational Cyclists

Cassie M Williamson-Reisdorph; Emily E Bechke; Cherilyn McLester; Robert Buresh; Melinda Millard-Stafford; Zackery Green; Rasmus Rooks; Brett Nickerson; Brian M Kliszczewicz

doi:10.2478/hukin-2022-0036

Carbohydrate Rinse Fails to Enhance Cycling Performance or Alter Metabolic and Autonomic Recovery in Recreational Cyclists

J Hum Kinet. 2022 Sep 8:83:109-119. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2022-0036. eCollection 2022 Aug.

Authors

Cassie M Williamson-Reisdorph¹, Emily E Bechke², Cherilyn McLester², Robert Buresh², Melinda Millard-Stafford³, Zackery Green², Rasmus Rooks², Brett Nickerson⁴, Brian M Kliszczewicz²

Affiliations

¹ School of Integrative Physiology and Athletic Training, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59801, USA.
² Department of Exercise Science and Sport Management, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA.
³ School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
⁴ College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Texas A&M International University, Laredo, TX 78041, USA.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of carbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinsing on autonomic and metabolic recovery as well as cycling performance. Ten male recreational cyclists (age = 30 ± 6 years, VO_2peak = 54.5 ± 8.1 mL·kg^-1·min^-1) completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover designed study. A CHO or a placebo (PLA) rinse was administered every 12.5% of a work to completion trial (75%W_max). Heart rate variability (lnRMSSD), the respiratory exchange ratio, and plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, insulin, glucose, free fatty acids (FFA), and lactate were measured pre- and post-exercise. The CHO rinse did not improve time to completion of the test trial (CHO: 4108 ± 307 s, PLA: 4176 ± 374 s, p = 0.545). Further, the CHO rinse did not impact autonomic recovery, as measured by lnRMSSD (p = 0.787) and epinephrine (p = 0.132). Metabolic biomarkers were also unaffected by the CHO rinse, with no differences observed in responses of FFA (p = 0.064), lactate (p = 0.302), glucose (p = 0.113) or insulin (p = 0.408). Therefore, the CHO mouth rinse does not reduce the acute sympathetic response following strenuous exercise and does not result in improvements in cycling time to completion.

Keywords: autonomic nervous system; carbohydrate solution; cycling; endurance performance; exercise metabolism; heart rate variability.

© 2022 Cassie M. Williamson-Reisdorph, Emily E. Bechke, Cherilyn McLester, Robert Buresh, Melinda Millard-Stafford, Zackery Green, Rasmus Rooks, Brett Nickerson, Brian M. Kliszczewicz, published by Sciendo.