Author(s): BALASEKARAN, G., LIM, S.Y., WONG, C.H., ARASU, C.T.K., NG, Y.C., Institution: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, Country: SINGAPORE, Abstract-ID: 693

INTRODUCTION:
Athletes often ingest sports drinks and energy drinks to enhance performance. Despite links between soft drink and increased energy intake, many avoid them due to health concerns. Anaerobic exercise refers to high-intensity exercise that lasts for a short period of time. When blood glucose is exhausted, muscle glycogen is converted to glucose for ATP production. Glycogen depletion contributes to muscle fatigue and reduced performance, thus highlighting the need for adequate refueling to elevate blood glucose during high-intensity exercise. Little is known on the effects sugared drinks like Coca-Cola (CC) on human performance. Thus, this study investigated the effects of CC on anaerobic sprint performance.
METHODS:
Twenty-four healthy individuals (age: 23.92 ± 2.04 yrs; height: 167.63 ± 7.67 cm; weight: 60.43 ± 11.23 kg; body mass index: 21.38 ± 2.84 kg·m-2; body fat percentage: 20.03 ± 8.07 %) were recruited for a randomized single-blinded experiment over two sessions. Each session involved the ingestion of either CC or Coca-Cola Zero (CCZ), followed by two sets of running anaerobic sprint test (RAST) 1.5 hours after. The RAST consisted of six 35-m sprints with 10-second rests between each sprint, and 4-minute rest between each set. Heart rate (HR) and OMNI rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded after every 2nd, 4th, and 6th sprint.
RESULTS:
In 1st RAST, fatigue index (FI) was significantly lower in CC than CCZ (CC: 31.15 ± 10.77 % vs. CCZ: 36.67 ± 15.25 %, p = 0.026). In the 2nd RAST, significant differences were found in total effort time (TET; CC: 37.19 ± 3.36 s; CCZ: 38.11 ± 3.38 s; p = 0.007), mean peak power output (MPPO: CC: 337.17 ± 130.54 W vs. CCZ: 322.34 ± 119.00 W, p = 0.015), mean sprint time (MT: CC: 6.20 ± 0.56 s vs. CCZ: 6.35 ± 0.56 s, p = 0.007), and peak power output (PPO; CC: 416.59 ± 180.45 W; CCZ: 402.19 ± 181.86 W; p = 0.015). No significant difference was observed in HR and RPE.
CONCLUSION:
Sugared drinks significantly reduced the fatigue index and increased peak power output, leading to improved anaerobic sprint times. Thus, sugared drinks could be used by coaches and athletes prior to competition to enhance sports performance involving anaerobic activity.