A colored liquid may have a placebo effect on athletes and help them run better, a study found in Frontiers in Nutrition.
Sweet taste «energizes»
Eating carbohydrates (sugars) can improve athletic performance. This is hardly surprising to anyone: muscles work better when they receive additional energy. However, more than 10 years ago, scientists discovered an unusual effect of sweet liquids. They found that moderate exercise (such as running) can improve performance even after simply rinsing your mouth. Not all studies have confirmed this effect, but a large review found that rinsing helps with exercise and reduces fatigue. Similar effects are seen in solutions with caffeine.
The mechanism of action of such rinses is different from the effects of conventional carbohydrate consumption. These substances are practically not absorbed in the oral cavity, and after rinsing, which lasts for several seconds, the liquid is spit out. Scientists suggest that it's all about the sensation of sweet taste. The brain is «deceived» by receiving information about sweetness: it perceives it as a signal that the body has received more «fuel», and makes the muscles work harder.
Color enhances the effect of taste
The authors of a new study decided to test whether people's expectations can enhance the physical effect of rinsing the mouth.
The study, which took several weeks, involved 10 healthy volunteers. First, the effects of rinsing the mouth with a sugary liquid were explained in detail to the participants. Next, they were asked to test on themselves two different formulations, which the scientists presented to them as approved rinses. They were the same artificially sweetened non-caloric solutions, one of which was dyed pink.
Are the placebos that doctors give us dangerous
All over the world Doctors give their patients a placebo. We figured out how often and why they do it, how ethically it is right and what are the potential benefits and harms of such prescriptions.
Read the article
During two different sets, study participants ran on a treadmill for half an hour while rinsing their mouths with a clear or pink liquid. The only recommendation for exercise was to maintain a constant level of effort.
Participant performance (as measured by effort and distance) was 4.4% better with the pink liquid than with the clear liquid. In addition, volunteers reported more enjoyment from running when the fluid was colored.
The authors of the study indicate that the results improved under the influence of a substance that is known to have no physiological effect. That is, a placebo can improve athletic performance.
Scientists aim to «squeeze» out of the placebo effect all possible benefits for athletes. They note that different parameters of the liquid have such a potential — taste, smell, color. However, at present, this area remains almost unexplored.