Effect Of Acute Beclomethasone And Prednisolone On 40-km And Recovery For Subsequent 10-km Cycling Time-trial

Abstract

The World-Anti Doping Agency (WADA) stipulates that athlete use of glucocorticoid medication for asthma related conditions requires a therapeutic-use-exemption (TUE) during competition for oral administration, but not inhaled doses. It remains unclear if glucocorticoid therapy provides a competitive advantage for single, or repeated bout time-trial performance. PURPOSE: Compare two methods of acute glucocorticoid administration on 40-km time-trial and recovery for subsequent 10-km time-trial performed on the same day. METHODS: Six trained male cyclists (V̇O2max; 59.1 ± 3.8ml.kg.min-1) completed a 40-km time-trial four-hours after administration of prednisolone (0.5 mg.kg-1 body mass, PRED), beclomethasone (1600μg, BEC), microcrystalline cellulose capsules (O-PLA), water vapour inhaler (I-PLA) or control (CON). Following one-hour recovery, participants completed a further 10-km time-trial. Subjective overall recovery score, measured using Acute Recovery Stress Score (ARSS) was completed pre-10-km time-trial. Physiological (Heart-rate; HR, oxygen-uptake; V̇O2) and metabolic response (blood lactate; blood glucose) during 40-km time-trial was recorded. Data was analysed using repeated measure ANOVAs, and Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons. RESULTS: No significant difference was seen in completion time (CT) for both 40-km (PRED: 3958 ± 213 s; BEC: 3969 ± 173 s; O-PLA: 4010 ± 169 s; I-PLA: 3978 ± 208 s; CON: 3968 ± 170 s; p=0.22) and 10-km (PRED: 950 ± 50 s; BEC: 952 ± 54 s; O-PLA: 956 ± 51 s; I-PLA: 960 ± 50 s; CON: 957 ± 54 s; p=0.87) time-trials. No condition time interaction was seen in physiological response (HR: p=0.69; V̇O2: p=0.54) during 40-km time-trial. PRED resulted in significant enhanced glucose concentration at all exercise time-points (p>0.05), but no condition time interaction was evident in blood lactate (p=0.53). Subjective overall recovery measured by ARSS was not different between conditions (p=0.77). CONCLUSION: Acute inhaled or oral glucocorticoid medication did not enhance 40-km time-trial performance. Furthermore, perceived recovery prior to, or measured performance during subsequent 10-km time-trial was not different between conditions.