The sport drinks They are an indispensable element for those who do sports like cycling or athleticsIt helps them keep up with the rhythm for longer.
However, there is no agreement on the usefulness of this type of substance in people who practice other disciplines that require more precise actions, such as fencing or football. In addition, many athletes refuse to consume these types of substances due to their high content in sugars, But what if it was enough to rinse your mouth without swallowing them?
A boat soon this seems totally absurd, but according to a study recently carried out in the Birmingham University, it is a totally possible alternative for those who want to benefit from the properties of these drinks without consuming the calories that contain.
How do sports drinks with maltodextrin help athletes?
The maltodextrin is a sugar resulting from decomposition of starch which is metabolized very quickly by the body, promoting muscle energy and decreasing the fatigue, reason why its consumption is very beneficial for athletes.
However, a dose of 10 grams of this substance corresponds to 40 kcal And, although it is not an exorbitant amount, many athletes prefer to avoid its consumption.
What happens if an athlete rinses his mouth with these sports drinks?
Looking for a way to take advantage of the properties of the maltodextrin without the need to ingest it, these researchers from the Birmingham University conducted a study with cyclists after which they found that those who kept the drink in their mouth for five seconds for later spit it out they had much better sports performance than those who carried out the same process, but with Water.
Then they developed a study with neuroimagingwith which they observed that when the maltodextrin entered the mouth was recognized by a number of receivers that activated the brain areas responsible for motivation, so it was not necessary to swallow it to check its effects.
Is it the same in sports that require more precision and technique?
As you know, sports like athletics or cycling especially require force and resistance, while in other sports they also play a very important role skill, precision and technique. For example, in basketball these skills are very important to reach the basket, just as in football to score a goal.
Would maltodextrin be just as useful in these disciplines then? To check it was carried out another study in which the researchers proceeded to perform a series of tests with fencing fighters, since it is a very complete sport in which precision and techniquethey have great relevance.
The experiment consisted of Two parts that were repeated twice, the first with nothing and the second with a short stop during which some participants rinsed their mouths with a drink based on maltodextrin and others did it only with Water. Like this sugar it does not have flavor, none knew what he was taking, so the Placebo effect it had nothing to do with it.
In the first part everyone had to do a lunge test, one of the most typical fencing movements, to check how precisely they did it.
They were then invited to do what is known as a Stroop test, consisting of reading the color in which a word is written without being confused with the color with which that word corresponds.
After analyzing the results, it was found that the participants who rinsed their mouths with maltodextrin performed the rush test with more precision, while those who had done it with water gradually lost precision, due to the fatigue.
On the contrary, regarding Stroop test No differences were observed between both groups, so it seems that the functions of this sugar are based on an improvement in performance due to the increased energy and motivation, but without directly intervening in mental work.
Be that as it may, it is clear that it is a magnificent alternative to the consumption of this type of drink. A great way to improve performance without doping! What are you waiting to try it?
