The Effect of Carbonhydrate Mouth Rinse on the Endurance Performance in Football Players

Abstract

The presence of carbohydrates (CHO) in the mouth can enhance performance by stimulating the reward center of the brain. Mouth rinsing with CHO does not cause a potential side effect of gastrointestinal discomfort associated with CHO consumption. Numerous studies have demonstrated that using a carbohydrate solution via mouth rinsing can improve performance in endurance sports. However, research on football is limited, and the effectiveness of this approach in football is uncertain. This placebo-controlled and double-blind study was conducted to evaluate the impact of rinsing the mouth with a 15% CHO solution on endurance performance among football players. Twenty healthy male football players, aged between 20 and 25, participated in the study. Endurance performance was indirectly measured using the results of the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery (IR) test. Blood glucose and lactate levels of the football players were measured before and after the Yo-Yo IR test. They were given either a placebo or a 15% carbohydrate solution to rinse their mouths three times, including before warming up, before the Yo-Yo IR test, and in the middle of the test. There was no significant difference found in the levels of blood lactate, blood glucose, and VO2max values between the two groups (p> 0.05). The study concluded that rinsing the mouth with a 15% CHO solution had no significant impact on the endurance performance of football players.