Hey there, and welcome to my weekly summary of the latest research from the world of sports nutrition.
This week’s studies cover taurine and caffeine’s effects on endurance cycling performance, how protein supplementation affects golf performance, and how listening to music impacts tennis players—read on!
Taurine and Caffeine Improve Endurance Cycling Performance in Hot, Humid Conditions
This study explored whether combining taurine and caffeine could enhance endurance cycling performance in hot and humid conditions. Twelve physically active students took either taurine, caffeine, both together, or a placebo, and then cycled until exhaustion in a high-temperature, high-humidity environment. The results showed that all supplements improved endurance compared to the placebo, but taurine alone was particularly effective in reducing core body temperature and lowering blood lactate levels after exercise. However, combining taurine and caffeine did not provide additional benefits beyond taking taurine alone. The study suggests that taurine might be the most effective supplement for improving endurance in challenging environmental conditions.
My thoughts: What's interesting here is that taurine had more of an impact on performance than caffeine. There are some studies out there that hypothesize caffeine may not be as impactful when dehydration comes into play as it can have a diuretic effect. Perhaps this is the case here?
Protein Supplementation Boosts Muscle Function and Golf Performance
This study investigated whether taking a mixed protein supplement, which combines animal and plant proteins, could improve golf performance and muscle strength in casual golfers. Sixty participants were divided into two groups: one took the protein supplement, and the other took a placebo for 8 weeks. The results showed that those who took the mixed protein improved their golf swing performance, increasing driver distance and ball speed, and also saw gains in hand grip strength, push-up performance, and balance. The study concluded that mixed protein supplementation could be a safe and effective way to enhance muscle function and golf performance.
My thoughts: Before you head out to buy every protein powder you can find before your next tee time, consider this: is this study a measure of the impact of the specific protein types, or it is simply a study that measures what an additional 23g of protein (regardless of source) will do for golf performance? If it's the former, then the researchers should have ensured both study groups consumed the same total amount of protein. I’d like to see how the results of this study would change if our Egg White Protein Isolate was used…
Motivational Music Enhances Performance in Tennis Players
This study examined how different types of music affect the performance of recreational tennis players. Thirty-five players completed a tennis performance test under three conditions: no music, motivational music, and sedative music. The results showed that listening to motivational music improved the players' overall performance, including their groundstroke accuracy, depth, and serve scores. In contrast, sedative music tended to decrease their performance, particularly in groundstroke depth. The study suggests that listening to motivational music during training or breaks in matches could help tennis players enhance their performance on the court.
My thoughts: I love music, and Eye of the Tiger always gets me throwing a few air punches. The use of music in elite sports isn't new. I’ve even been involved in studies where we used music to distract athletes from tuning into the fatigue signals from their muscles. Maybe now we'll see more athletes put on their headphones when they want to perform at their best.
That’s all for this week! If you learned something new and are curious to know more, head over to the Blonyx Blog or my growing list of weekly research summaries where I help you further improve your athletic performance by keeping you up to date on the latest findings from the world of sports nutrition.
– Train hard!