Effect of carbohydrate mouth rinse on resistance training performance in trained men

Abstract

The effect of carbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinse as an ergogenic aid in aerobic activity is well-established. However, its effect on short-duration, high-intensity resistance training is yet to be explored. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a CHO mouth rinse on resistance training performance of trained men in terms of total training volume and perceived exertion in a randomized, cross-over, double-blind design. Fourteen trained men participated in three repeated experimental resistance exercise sessions. Each resistance exercise session consisted of three sets performed until volitional fatigue for the deadlift, squat, bench press, and military press with a load 75% of their tested 1-repetition maximum and 2 minutes rest interval between sets. At the start of each experimental session, and immediately before the third exercise in the sequence, subjects were given a 100 ml solution of either CHO, artificial sweetener (placebo), or water (control) as a mouth rinse for 10 seconds. Comparisons were evaluated with a repeated-measures analysis of variance at α = 0.05. A CHO mouth rinse significantly increased total training volume compared to both the placebo (+23.1%) and control (+25.9%). The effect on perceived exertion was similar for the CHO solution and the non-calorie sweetener solution. The authors conclude that a carbohydrate mouth rinse may benefit resistance training performance in terms of total training volume and perceived exertion in trained men.