Optimization of a Menthol Energy Gel to Improve Endurance Performance, Cognition and Mood during Exercise in the Heat

Rosanne Marie Vogel

doi:10.25918/thesis.412

Endurance performance deteriorates in hot and humid environments, yet athletic competitions often occur in the heat. Coaches, athletes, and sport scientists continue to seek ways to improve performance under heat stress. L-menthol (menthol) is a novel, nonthermal approach to heat management, which is the aromatic and cooling component of mint plants. The sensory cooling effect of menthol is well-known, hence its use in pharmaceuticals, oral hygiene products, and confections. It has been recently established that the internal (oral) application of menthol can be beneficial for an athlete’s performance and thermal perceptions during exercise in warm/hot conditions. However, the ideal formula for a practical, menthol-enhanced sports nutrition product is currently unknown, and the effects of using menthol cooling during real-world endurance competitions are unexplored. As such, the aim of this thesis was to develop and evaluate a menthol-enhanced energy gel to provide perceptual cooling for athletes during exercise in hot environments. Chapter 1 introduces the problem statement and provides an overview of the structure of the thesis. Chapter 2 provides a review of the existing research on menthol in sport, highlighting the benefits of its internal application to improve endurance performance, perceptions, and cognitive outcomes. From this background, Study 1 set out to optimize a carbohydrate energy gel with menthol to provide a perceptual cooling effect during exercise in the heat (Chapter 3 – Vogel et al., 2022), and furthermore, to determine whether the menthol energy gel influenced endurance performance, thermal perceptions, cognition, and mood under laboratory conditions (Study 2/Chapter 4 –Vogel et al., 2023). Finally, the effects of the menthol gel were explored during real-world, sanctioned endurance events among competitive-elite athletes (Study 3/Chapter 5). The findings and broader implications of the body of work are discussed in Chapter 6, along with limitations and considerations for future research in this area. This thesis demonstrated that a menthol-enhanced energy gel with additional flavoring was optimized for acceptability at a 0.5% menthol concentration, and provided an instant, localized cooling sensation in the mouth, throat, and upper airways lasting ~10-20 minutes when ingested before and/or during exercise in warm-hot environments. However, this effect did not impact performance or global thermal perceptions among endurance athletes when assessed in a laboratory environmental or in real-world competition. As such, athletes may elect to include menthol sports nutrition products during competition when immediate, localized cooling sensations are desired, as part of a wider heat management strategy.

Optimization of a Menthol Energy Gel to Improve Endurance Performance, Cognition and Mood during Exercise in the Heat

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Optimization of a Menthol Energy Gel to Improve Endurance Performance, Cognition and Mood during Exercise in the Heat

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