The effect of carbohydrate mouthwash on risk movement performance in elite rhythmic gymnasts subjected to mental fatigue: a crossover, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Original article - e255655 - Published 2026, May 29
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33233/rbfex.v25i1.5655Keywords:
mental fatigue, gymnastics, carbohydrate, oral rinsingAbstract
Introduction: This study evaluated the effect of carbohydrate (CHO) mouthwash on the performance of Brazilian National Rhythmic Gymnasts subjected to mental fatigue (MF). The objective was to verify if CHO mouthwash could mitigate the negative impacts of MF in high-level athletes. Methods: Twelve Brazilian National Rhythmic Gymnasts participated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Mental fatigue was induced by customized Stroop and n-back tasks until 60% subjective fatigue was reached (assessed by VAS, reaction time, and blink frequency). Ten-second rinses with 7% CHO solution or placebo were performed, followed by a physical test involving three risk movements evaluated by experienced coaches. Statistical analysis utilized a linear mixed model. Results: The protocol effectively induced mental fatigue for an average of 1h 26min, characterized by increased perceived fatigue (VAS), reaction time, blink frequency, and decreased hits on cognitive tasks. The CHO mouthwash group showed a significantly higher average score in risk movements (4.72 ± 2.55) compared to the placebo group (4.17 ± 2.41) (p = 0.0402). Conclusion: CHO mouthwash can attenuate the negative effects of mental fatigue on elite rhythmic gymnasts' performance, improving the execution of high-risk movements. This non-metabolic benefit, likely through activating brain areas related to motor planning and reward, suggests a valuable ergogenic strategy to maintain cognitive and motor performance without caloric intake.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Isadora Oliveira Nascimento, João Henrique Gomes, Bruna Martins, Juliana Coradine, Camila Rezende, José Valter Costa Oliveira, Iohanna Fernandes, Leonardo de Sousa Fortes, Lenamar Fiorese, Rafaela Andrade, Julian Tejada, Renata Rebello Mendes
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