Effect of Big Bear energy drink on performance indicators, blood lactate levels and rating of perceived exertion in elite adolescent female swimmers

Abstract

There is little information about the effect of energy drink on elite adolescent female swimmers. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of energy drink to improve physical performance and some physiological factors in female swimmer players. 36 elite adolescent female swimmers (all participants in the national competition authority had earned or were invited to national team; 13.73±1 years, weight 45.67±3.70, height 149.5±7.30 cm and body mass of 20.39±1.5 kg/m2) Volunteered to participate in this study. A double-blind, placebo controlled and randomized experimental design was used in this investigation. In two sessions with an interval of 4 days of each other, 36 female swimmers ingested 6 mg/kg Big Bear energy drink or placebo. 15 min after consumption, they performed of tests as below: one repetition maximum and 60% of one repetition maximum in the chest press and leg press, explosive power test, anaerobic RAST test, 100 m swim Crawl at maximal speed, aerobic Queens College Step test. Also before, immediately after RAST test, 5 cc of blood from brachial vein to measure blood lactate was taken from subjects, and the results were recorded. Also, participants rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale (Borg 15 rank) filled out before and after the muscular endurance test. In comparison to the placebo drink, the ingestion of drink reduces the 100 m crawl record (97.12±4.68 s vs 94.73±4.37 s, respectively; P=0.02). The ingestion of the energy drink did not affect other performance indicators. Also, blood lactate levels and RPE during the post exercise was unaffected by the energy drink ingestion. An energy drink with a dose equivalent to 6 mg/kg ineffective on performance indicators (muscle strength, muscular endurance, explosive power, aerobic power, anaerobic power), blood lactate levels and rating of perceived exertion in elite adolescent female swimmers.