Effects of Combined Interventions to Optimize Recovery During High-intensity Exercises in Healthy Adults

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology16 enrolled

Overview

The objective of the study is to evaluate the effects a complex recovery intervention during the breaks of a repeated sprint test on exercise performance compared to placebo and control conditions. The enhanced recovery package (ERP) includes neck cooling with an iced gel pad, drinking a 6% CHO solution, mouth-rinsing with a 10% CHO, 6 mg･kg -1 caffeine solution, performing submaximal squats and hyperventilating a hyperoxic mixture; all applied in each 3-min break in-between the six 30-s sprints. This intervention will be compared to a placebo and a control condition.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Healthy

Interventions

ERP

The ERP intervention is applied in a randomized and counter-balanced order across visits 2-4 in each 3-min break in-between the six 30-s sprints, with one intervention per visit. The order and timing of the constituents of the interventions will be strictly constant within and between participants. ERP: 1) neck cooling with an iced gel pad, 2) drinking a ∼ 6% CHO solution, 3) mouth-rinsing with a ∼10% CHO, ∼6 mg ･ kg -1 caffeine solution, 4) performing submaximal squats and 5) hyperventilating a hyperoxic mixture

PlaceboOTHER

The control intervention is applied in a randomized and counter-balanced order across visits 2-4 in each 3-min break in-between the six 30-s sprints, with one intervention per visit. The order and timing of the constituents of the interventions will be strictly constant within and between participants. 1\) neck "cooling" with room temperature gel pack, 2) drinking an artificially sweetened solution, 3) mouth-rinsing with artificially sweetened solution (containing no caffeine), 4) performing unloaded squat manoeuvres, 5) deep breaths with room air

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 40 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Informed Consent as documented by signature (Appendix Informed Consent Form) * Healthy * Male * Age: 18-40 years * Body-Mass-Index (BMI): 18.5-24.9 kg･m-2 * Trained individuals: max. Power output ≥ 4.0 Watts･kg-1 * Non-smoking * Willingness to adhere to the study rules Exclusion Criteria: * Known or suspected non-compliance, drug or alcohol abuse * Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia, etc. of the participants * Previous enrolment into the current study * Intake of medications affecting performance or the respiratory, cardiovascular or neuromuscular system * Acute or chronic illness affecting performance or the respiratory, cardiovascular or neuromuscular system

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in mean power output

Measured over the six 30s high-intensity cycling sprints in each of the three conditions. Mean power mirrors the body's ability to generate muscle power and physical energy. Any meaningful effects of the recovery interventions will eventually translate into a higher power output.

Time frame: through study completion, an expected average of 3 weeks per participant

Change in fatigue index

Fatigue index = drop in power output from the beginning to the end a 30s sprint test. The change in this index will be calculated from the 1st to the 6th sprint test in each condition.