Increasing effort without noticing: A randomized controlled pilot study about the ergogenic placebo effect in endurance athletes and the role of supplement salience.
PURPOSE:Previous research shows that endurance performance can be enhanced by placebo ergogenic aids. This study investigates the ergogenic placebo response, which we define as an increase in objective and physiological effort without an increase in subjective effort, in competitive cyclists. The pr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2018-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5995445?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818144810074112000 |
|---|---|
| author | Ellen K Broelz Sebastian Wolf Patrick Schneeweiss Andreas M Niess Paul Enck Katja Weimer |
| author_facet | Ellen K Broelz Sebastian Wolf Patrick Schneeweiss Andreas M Niess Paul Enck Katja Weimer |
| author_sort | Ellen K Broelz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | PURPOSE:Previous research shows that endurance performance can be enhanced by placebo ergogenic aids. This study investigates the ergogenic placebo response, which we define as an increase in objective and physiological effort without an increase in subjective effort, in competitive cyclists. The primary objective of this study is to explore the role of supplement salience in the ergogenic placebo response, while the secondary aim is to assess whether believing to have taken an inactive placebo supplement attenuates the desired ergogenic effect. METHODS:We employed a double-blind placebo-controlled study design and compared a high salience (pudding) to a low salience (capsules) ergogenic placebo supplement and to a no treatment control group. Thirty-four male athletes (30.0 ± 5.7 years) performed two self-regulated time trials on an isokinetic cycling ergometer, one without intervention serving as a baseline and one with intervention according to group assignment. At both time trials, power output (objective effort), blood lactate (physiological effort) and the rating of perceived exertion (subjective effort) were measured. RESULTS:Receiving a high salience supplement can increase physiological and objective effort without a proportional rise in subjective effort, suggesting a decoupling of perceived exertion and endurance performance. Low salience and control group both showed no such ergogenic placebo response. Athletes' belief concerning the true nature of the ergogenic aid (inactive placebo vs. ergogenic supplement) did not influence the ergogenic placebo response. CONCLUSION:High salience placebo ergogenic aids can elicit enhanced performance without the athlete noticing (exertion), and deception of athletes seems unnecessary as even believing to have received an inactive placebo supplement maintains the ergogenic placebo response. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T11:53:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d9851a65f32e4e15ba836e4fd3b7632d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T11:53:28Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-d9851a65f32e4e15ba836e4fd3b7632d2022-12-22T01:08:17ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032018-01-01136e019838810.1371/journal.pone.0198388Increasing effort without noticing: A randomized controlled pilot study about the ergogenic placebo effect in endurance athletes and the role of supplement salience.Ellen K BroelzSebastian WolfPatrick SchneeweissAndreas M NiessPaul EnckKatja WeimerPURPOSE:Previous research shows that endurance performance can be enhanced by placebo ergogenic aids. This study investigates the ergogenic placebo response, which we define as an increase in objective and physiological effort without an increase in subjective effort, in competitive cyclists. The primary objective of this study is to explore the role of supplement salience in the ergogenic placebo response, while the secondary aim is to assess whether believing to have taken an inactive placebo supplement attenuates the desired ergogenic effect. METHODS:We employed a double-blind placebo-controlled study design and compared a high salience (pudding) to a low salience (capsules) ergogenic placebo supplement and to a no treatment control group. Thirty-four male athletes (30.0 ± 5.7 years) performed two self-regulated time trials on an isokinetic cycling ergometer, one without intervention serving as a baseline and one with intervention according to group assignment. At both time trials, power output (objective effort), blood lactate (physiological effort) and the rating of perceived exertion (subjective effort) were measured. RESULTS:Receiving a high salience supplement can increase physiological and objective effort without a proportional rise in subjective effort, suggesting a decoupling of perceived exertion and endurance performance. Low salience and control group both showed no such ergogenic placebo response. Athletes' belief concerning the true nature of the ergogenic aid (inactive placebo vs. ergogenic supplement) did not influence the ergogenic placebo response. CONCLUSION:High salience placebo ergogenic aids can elicit enhanced performance without the athlete noticing (exertion), and deception of athletes seems unnecessary as even believing to have received an inactive placebo supplement maintains the ergogenic placebo response.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5995445?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Ellen K Broelz Sebastian Wolf Patrick Schneeweiss Andreas M Niess Paul Enck Katja Weimer Increasing effort without noticing: A randomized controlled pilot study about the ergogenic placebo effect in endurance athletes and the role of supplement salience. PLoS ONE |
| title | Increasing effort without noticing: A randomized controlled pilot study about the ergogenic placebo effect in endurance athletes and the role of supplement salience. |
| title_full | Increasing effort without noticing: A randomized controlled pilot study about the ergogenic placebo effect in endurance athletes and the role of supplement salience. |
| title_fullStr | Increasing effort without noticing: A randomized controlled pilot study about the ergogenic placebo effect in endurance athletes and the role of supplement salience. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increasing effort without noticing: A randomized controlled pilot study about the ergogenic placebo effect in endurance athletes and the role of supplement salience. |
| title_short | Increasing effort without noticing: A randomized controlled pilot study about the ergogenic placebo effect in endurance athletes and the role of supplement salience. |
| title_sort | increasing effort without noticing a randomized controlled pilot study about the ergogenic placebo effect in endurance athletes and the role of supplement salience |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5995445?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ellenkbroelz increasingeffortwithoutnoticingarandomizedcontrolledpilotstudyabouttheergogenicplaceboeffectinenduranceathletesandtheroleofsupplementsalience AT sebastianwolf increasingeffortwithoutnoticingarandomizedcontrolledpilotstudyabouttheergogenicplaceboeffectinenduranceathletesandtheroleofsupplementsalience AT patrickschneeweiss increasingeffortwithoutnoticingarandomizedcontrolledpilotstudyabouttheergogenicplaceboeffectinenduranceathletesandtheroleofsupplementsalience AT andreasmniess increasingeffortwithoutnoticingarandomizedcontrolledpilotstudyabouttheergogenicplaceboeffectinenduranceathletesandtheroleofsupplementsalience AT paulenck increasingeffortwithoutnoticingarandomizedcontrolledpilotstudyabouttheergogenicplaceboeffectinenduranceathletesandtheroleofsupplementsalience AT katjaweimer increasingeffortwithoutnoticingarandomizedcontrolledpilotstudyabouttheergogenicplaceboeffectinenduranceathletesandtheroleofsupplementsalience |