Ergogenic Aids to Improve Physical Performance in Female Athletes: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to summarize the effects of ergogenic aids, including beetroot juice, on sports performance in female athletes.
Results Summary
The study found no conclusive effects of beetroot juice in improving aerobic performance in female athletes. More research is needed to determine its efficacy.
Population
Female athletes
Effective Dosage
Not available
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
caffeine | increase | jumping performance | female athletes | - | helped to improve | #1 |
caffeine | increase | isometric strength values | female athletes | - | helped to improve | #2 |
caffeine | increase | number of repetitions until failure | female athletes | - | helped to improve | #3 |
caffeine | increase | sprint performance | female athletes | - | helped to improve | #4 |
sodium phosphate | increase | sprint performance | female athletes | - | helped to improve | #5 |
taurine | increase | aerobic tests | female athletes | - | could be improved | #6 |
caffeine | increase | aerobic tests | female athletes | - | could be improved | #7 |
beta-alanine | increase | aerobic tests | female athletes | - | could be improved | #8 |
beetroot juice | no change | aerobic performance | female athletes | - | No conclusive effects | #9 |
polyphenols | no change | aerobic performance | female athletes | - | No conclusive effects | #10 |
creatine | no change | aerobic performance | female athletes | - | No conclusive effects | #11 |
caffeine | increase | repeated sprint ability | female athletes | - | could help to improve | #12 |
sodium phosphate | increase | repeated sprint ability | female athletes | - | could help to improve | #13 |
Most intervention studies investigating the effects of ergogenic aids (EAs) on sports performance have been carried out in the male population. Thus, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the effects in the existing literature of EAs used by female athletes on performance. A literature research was conducted, and a descriptive analysis of the articles included in the systematic review was carried out. Meta-analyses could be performed on 32 of the included articles, evaluating performance in strength, sprint, and cardiovascular capacity. A random-effects model and the standardized mean differences (SMD) ± 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. The results showed that caffeine helped to improve jumping performance, isometric strength values, and the number of repetitions until failure. Caffeine and sodium phosphate helped to improve sprint performance. Aerobic tests could be improved with the use of taurine, caffeine, and beta-alanine. No conclusive effects of beetroot juice, polyphenols, or creatine in improving aerobic performance were shown. In terms of anaerobic variables, both caffeine and sodium phosphate could help to improve repeated sprint ability. More studies are needed in female athletes that measure the effects of different EAs on sports performance, such as beetroot juice, beta-alanine or sodium phosphate, as the studies to date are scarce and there are many types of EA that need to be further considered in this population, such as creatine and taurine.