Nutritional Ergogenic Aids in Combat Sports: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Nutritional ergogenic aids (NEAs) are substances included within the group of sports supplements. Although they are widely consumed by athletes, evidence-based analysis is required to support training outcomes or competitive performance in specific disciplines. Combat sports have a predominant use of anaerobic metabolism as a source of energy, reaching peak exertion or sustained effort for very short periods of time. In this context, the use of certain NEAs could help athletes to improve their performance in those specific combat skills (i.e., the number of attacks, throws and hits; jump height; and grip strength, among others) as well as in general physical aspects (time to exhaustion [TTE], power, fatigue perception, heart rate, use of anaerobic metabolism, etc.). Medline/PubMed, Scopus and EBSCO were searched from their inception to May 2022 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Out of 677 articles found, 55 met the predefined inclusion criteria. Among all the studied NEAs, caffeine (5–10 mg/kg) showed strong evidence for its use in combat sports to enhance the use of glycolytic pathways for energy production during high-intensity actions due to a greater production of and tolerance to blood lactate levels. In this regard, abilities including the number of attacks, reaction time, handgrip strength, power and TTE, among others, were improved. Buffering supplements such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate and beta-alanine may have a promising role in high and intermittent exertion during combat, but more studies are needed in grappling combat sports to confirm their efficacy during sustained isometric exertion. Other NEAs, including creatine, beetroot juice or glycerol, need further investigation to strengthen the evidence for performance enhancement in combat sports. Caffeine is the only NEA that has shown strong evidence for performance enhancement in combat sports.

Kinematic and Physiological Analysis of Medieval Combat Sport Using Motion Analysis, Blood Lactate Measurement, and Heart Rate Monitoring: A Case Study

“…The increase was more significant during the transition from the warm-up and MO rounds to R1. This pattern can be explained by the increased demand for anaerobic metabolism during high-intensity activities in combat sports, which is manifested by the rise in blood lactate levels at the end of the competitions [ 35 ]. Chien et al [ 26 ] proposed that blood lactate levels vary from 4 to 10 mmol/L for hyperlactatemia states to excessive exercise under normal conditions for the human body.…”

Metabolic Insights into Caffeine’s Anti-Adipogenic Effects: An Exploration through Intestinal Microbiota Modulation in Obesity

“…Caffeine is recognized as a central nervous system stimulant, exerting its effects by blocking adenosine receptors A1 and A2 in the brain, owing to the structural resemblance between caffeine and adenosine. This interaction influences the release of neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine, dopamine, and norepinephrine, thereby modulating mood, enhancing alertness, and reducing physical fatigue [144][145][146][147][148].…”

Does Beetroot Supplementation Improve Performance in Combat Sports Athletes? A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

“…However, the repetitive high intensity nature of combat sports leads to high levels of peripheral fatigue, impairing performance [ 22 , 23 ]. Since NO is purported to delay fatigue and increase exercise tolerance, which are essential factors when exercising at high intensities [ 7 ], NO 3 − intake could have a significant impact on combat sports performance [ 24 ]. Prior research reports beetroot supplementation can speed up recovery through improved oxygen delivery during rest intervals between high-intensity actions [ 16 ].…”