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Late Breaking/Rapid Science Poster Session 2

(LB02-07-25) The Effect of Sports Drink on Exercise Performance and Fatigue: A Randomized, Crossover, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Sunday, June 1, 2025
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM ET
Location: Poster Board D-83

    Presenting Author(s)

  • CC

    Cuiqing Chang, PhD

    N/A
    Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University
    Beijing, Beijing, China (People's Republic)

    • Co-Author(s)

  • WL

    Wei Liu

    Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, China (People's Republic)

  • ZZ

    Zhida Zhang

    Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, China (People's Republic)

  • LX

    Lan Xie, B.Sc

    Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University
    Beijing, Beijing, China (People's Republic)

  • YY

    Yingxiang Yu

    Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, China (People's Republic)

Disclosure(s):
Cuiqing Chang, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: This study examined the effects of sports drink (mainly containing sugar, taurine, lysine, inositol, caffeine, niacin, vitamin B6 and B12) on athletic performance and exercise-induced fatigue.

Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial. The study recruited 28 participants (18-35 years) with endurance exercise habits. Each participant underwent two trials (beverage or placebo) with a washout period of 7-14 days. The exercise test consisted of 90 minutes of steady-state cycling at 50%-55% VO2 max and a 10-minute sprint at 65%-70% VO2 max. During the process, participants consumed a total of 500 mL of the beverage, with 200 mL consumed 60 minutes before steady-state exercise (E-60) and 100 mL at 0 (E0), 30 (E30), and 60 minutes (E60) during exercise. The primary outcomes was the exercise performance. Secondary outcomes included fatigue indicators, energy metabolism indicators, and serum biomarkers.

Results: Twenty-three participants successfully completed the trial. Participants completed significantly greater sprint distance in beverage group than in the placebo group (p = 0.036). Blood glucose levels and heart rate were significantly higher in the beverage group at the end of the sprint (P < 0.05). The subjective fatigue degree of legs measured in the beverage group was significantly lower than that in the control group at E60 and E90 (P ＜ 0.05). Compared with the control group, the beverage group showed higher respiratory exchange ratio at E60 and E90, along with increased percentages of carbohydrate-derived energy at E0 and E60, while percentages of protein-derived energy were lower at E0 and E60 (P < 0.05). In the beverage group, total protein at 30 minutes post-sprint and albumin at 0 and 30 minutes post-sprint were significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, isoleucine at E90, leucine at E0, E90, 0 and 30 minutes post-sprint, and valine after sprint were significantly lower compared to the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: The sports drink significantly enhances exercise performance, attenuates fatigue, improves energy metabolism during exercise, and contributes to the conservation of body protein.

Funding Sources: NA