Table 2.
Effect of performance enhancing supplements on rowing athletes.
| Supplements | Reference | Subjects | Trials | Main Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| β-alanine | Baguet et al. [23] | Elite male and female rowers (n = 19) | 5 g/day for 7 weeks (divided over 5 doses of 1 g, ingestion with 2 hr intervals) | Rowing speed ↑ |
| Hobson et al. [24] | Well-trained male rowers (n = 20) | 6.4 g/day for 4 weeks (2 × 800 mg/time, 4 times/day separated by 3–4 hr) | 2000-m rowing performance ↑ | |
| Caffeine | Anderson et al. [28] | Competitive male rowers (n = 8) | 6 or 9 mg/kg (timing: 60 min before exercise) | Rowing performance time↑ (both doses of caffeine had a similar effect) Mean power output ↑ (9 > 6 mg/kg) First 500 m time of 2000-m row ↑ (9 > 6 mg/kg) |
| Bruce et al. [29] | Well-trained male rowers (n = 8) | 6 or 9 mg/kg (timing: 60 min before exercise) | Rowing performance time↑ (both doses of caffeine had a similar effect) Mean power output ↑ (both doses of caffeine had a similar effect) | |
| Scott et al. [30] | University sports performers (n = 13) | 21.6 g of CHO and 100 mg of caffeine (caffeinated CHO gel, timing: 10 min before exercise) | 2000-m rowing performance ↑ | |
| Carr et al. [37] | Well-trained male and female rowers (n = 8) | 6 mg/kg (timing: 30 min before exercise) | 2000-m mean power ↑ | |
| Christensen et al. [38] | Elite male rowers (n = 12) | 3 mg/kg (timing: 45 min before exercise) | Total distance ↑ Mean power ↑ | |
| Sodium bicarbonate | Hobson et al. [34] | Well-trained male rowers (n = 20) | 0.3 g/kg (timing: 120 min before exercise) | 2000-m rowing performance ↑ |
| Driller et al. [35] | National male rowers (n = 12) | 0.3 g/kg for 4 weeks (timing: 90 min before exercise) | 2000-m power = 2000-m time =peak power output = power at 4 mmol/L lactate threshold = | |
| Kupcis et al. [36] | Elite male rowers (n = 7) | 0.3 g/kg (timing: 70–90 min before exercise) | Rowing performance time = | |
| Carr et al. [37] | Well-trained male and female rowers (n = 8) | Acute: 0.3 g/kg (timing: 120 min before exercise) Chronic: 0.5 g/kg for 3 days (ingestion with meals and snacks) | 2000-m rowing performance = (both acute and chronic) | |
| Christensen et al. [38] | Elite male rowers (n = 12) | 0.3 g/kg (timing: 75 min before exercise) | Total distance = Mean power = | |
| HMB | Durkalec-Michalski and Jeszka [40] | Elite male rowers (n = 16) | 3x1 g/day for 12 weeks (timing of 3 doses: Upon waking, immediately after training, and before sleep) | VO2 max ↑Ventilatory threshold ↑Peak anaerobic power ↑ |
| Fernández-Landa et al. [41] | Elite male rowers (n = 28) | 3 g/day for 10 weeks (+ creatine: 0.04 g/kg and chocolate shake: 1 g/kg of CHO and 0.3 g/kg protein; timing of training day: In the half hour after training, and timing of off day: 30 min before sleep) | Aerobic power ↑ | |
| Beetroot juice | Bond et al. [42] | Well-trained junior male rowers (n = 14) | 5.5 mmol nitrate/day for 6 days (timing: Every morning and afternoon) | Maximal rowing-ergometer repetitions ↑ |
| Hoon et al. [43] | Well-trained male rowers (n = 10) | 8.4 or 4.2 mmol nitrate/day (timing: 2 hr before exercise) | 2000-m rowing performance ↑ (8.4 > 4.2 mmol nitrate) |
HMB, β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric acid; ’↑’: Significant improvement, ’=’: No significant difference.