Mouth Rinsing With a Pink Non-caloric, Artificially-Sweetened Solution Improves Self-Paced Running Performance and Feelings of Pleasure in Habitually Active Individuals

Daniel R Brown,Dakota De Roeck,Sanjoy K Deb,Francesca Cappozzo,Mohammed Gulrez Zariwala

doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.678105

Daniel R Brown, Dakota De Roeck + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.678105

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Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether mouth rinsing with a pink non-caloric, artificially sweetened solution can improve self-selected running speed and distance covered during a 30 min running protocol.Methods: Ten healthy and habitually active individuals (six males, four females) completed two experimental trials in a randomised, single-blind, crossover design. Each experimental trial consisted of a 30 min treadmill run at a self-selected speed equivalent to 15 (hard/heavy) on the rating of perceived exertion scale. During exercise, participants mouth rinsed with either a pink or a clear non-caloric, artificially sweetened solution, with performance, perceptual and physiological measures obtained throughout.Results: Self-selected running speed (+0.4 ± 0.5 km·h−1, p = 0.024, g = 0.25) and distance covered (+213 ± 247 m, p = 0.023, g = 0.25) during the 30 min running protocol were both improved by 4.4 ± 5.1% when participants mouth rinsed with the pink solution when compared to the clear solution. Feelings of pleasure were also enhanced during the 30 min treadmill run when participants mouth rinsed with the pink solution, with ratings increased from 3.4 ± 0.7 in the clear condition to 3.8 ± 0.6 in the pink condition (+0.4 ± 0.5, p = 0.046, g = 0.54).Conclusion: Mouth rinsing with a pink non-caloric, artificially sweetened solution improved self-selected running speed, total distance covered, and feelings of pleasure obtained during a 30 min running protocol when compared to an isocaloric and taste-matched clear solution.

Highlights

The effects of carbohydrate mouth rinse on running and cycling performance are well-documented in temperate conditions, with a 2–3% ergogenic benefit commonly reported during exercise bouts of ≤ 1 h duration [1,2,3,4]
When compared to carbohydrate mouth rinse, it is the bitterness of caffeine that is detected in the buccal cavity which is suggested to underpin its ergogenic potential via an upregulation of sympathetic neural activity and corresponding physiological and efferent motor outputs during exercise [7]
Total distance covered during the 30 min self-paced running protocol (Figure 1A) was improved from 4,835 ± 816 m in the clear mouth rinse condition to 5,047 ± 795 m in the pink mouth rinse condition, which equates to a 4.4 ± 5.1% improvement (+213 ± 247 m, 95.0% Confidence intervals (CI) = 36–389 m, p = 0.023, g = 0.25)

Summary

Introduction

The effects of carbohydrate mouth rinse on running and cycling performance are well-documented in temperate conditions, with a 2–3% ergogenic benefit commonly reported during exercise bouts of ≤ 1 h duration [1,2,3,4] This ergogenic benefit is seemingly underpinned by the detection of a carbohydrate stimulus in the buccal cavity and the corresponding expectation of carbohydrate intake, which is thought to inhibit the negative afferent signals implicated in the aetiology of central fatigue [3]. When compared to carbohydrate mouth rinse, it is the bitterness of caffeine that is detected in the buccal cavity which is suggested to underpin its ergogenic potential via an upregulation of sympathetic neural activity and corresponding physiological and efferent motor outputs during exercise [7]

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