Performance
B · Reasonable confidenceNew this roundDoes rinsing your mouth with carbohydrate help during exercise?
Subject: Effects of Carbohydrate Mouth Rinse on Human Capacity and Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 90 Controlled Trials
What this means
A little: small improvements in, among others, distance covered (g = 0.17) and workload (g = 0.25), but no effect on muscular endurance, maximum power output or VO2max.
Zalagkitis C, Kraniotaki A, Simitzis N, Dallas K, Moustogiannis A, Chatzinikita E, Paradisis G, Tenta R, Maridaki M, Veskoukis A, Metsios G, Philippou A, Chryssanthopoulos C, Dinas PC · 2026 · Nutrients 18(18):3099
What does this rating mean?
A solid systematic review with caveats, or consistent indications with a limited scope.
Findings
90 controlled crossover trials in adults of any health and fitness status who rinsed their mouth with a carbohydrate solution before and during exercise. Rinsing produced small improvements in distance covered (g = 0.17; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.30), performance time (g = −0.15; 95% CI −0.25 to −0.05), speed (g = 0.17; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.30), workload (g = 0.25; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.41) and maximum voluntary contraction (g = 0.18; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.34). No effect was found on muscular endurance, maximum power output or VO2max.
Who this applies to
Adults over 18 of any health and fitness status, mostly men in the included studies. The abstract reports no separate outcomes for people aged 40 to 70.
Size of the research
90 controlled crossover trials.
What to keep in mind
The effects are small and differ by outcome. Rinsing was compared with a control condition, not with actually ingesting carbohydrate; this research does not say whether rinsing can replace ingestion.
Practical conclusion for REZA
The library already covered carbohydrate intake around endurance and strength training; this adds rinsing without swallowing. The gain is small and depends on the outcome. For REZA it is a detail for people who want to fine-tune performance during a session, not part of the foundation of a programme.
View method and source
Methodology
Systematic review with meta-analysis of controlled crossover trials
Limitations
The evidence mainly applies to male participants. Effects are acute, within a single exercise session. The evidence for maximum voluntary contraction is less robust. The abstract reports no GRADE assessment of certainty of evidence.
Original source
DOI: 10.3390/nu18183099 · PMID: 42797082
View on PubMed →This information is general education about scientific research. It is not personal medical advice and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a doctor or other healthcare professional. If you have symptoms, a medical condition or take medication, consult your GP or treating professional before changing your training or nutrition.