Effects of Acute Ecklonia cava Supplementation on Submaximal Cycling and Repeated-Sprint Performance in Trained Cyclists: A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial
- 1Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- 2Department of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4PY, UK
- 3School of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2EE, UK
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study examined whether acute Ecklonia cava (EC) ingestion altered physiological responses during submaximal cycling or power output during subsequent repeated maximal sprints in experienced male cyclists. Methods: Twelve cyclists completed a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Participants ingested 263 mg of EC extract or placebo 30 min before 60 min of cycling at 55% of the maximum work rate, followed by three 20 s maximal sprints. Blood glucose, blood lactate, heart rate, oxygen uptake and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were measured during submaximal cycling; peak power, mean power, blood glucose and blood lactate were assessed during the repeated-sprint test. Outcomes were analysed using linear mixed-effects models incorporating treatment, time, treatment × time, experimental period and allocated sequence. Results: Blood glucose was higher overall following EC than placebo (4.23 ± 0.23 vs. 4.02 ± 0.33 mmol·L−1; mean difference, 0.213 mmol·L−1; 95% CI, 0.046 to 0.379; p = 0.023), but the treatment × time interaction was not significant (p = 0.939). EC did not affect submaximal blood lactate, heart rate, oxygen uptake or RER (all p ≥ 0.096). EC did not alter peak power (mean difference, −2.58 W; 95% CI, −29.51 to 24.35; p = 0.832), mean power (5.93 W; 95% CI, −2.47 to 14.33; p = 0.167), post-sprint glucose (p = 0.481) or post-sprint lactate (p = 0.060). No treatment × time interaction was identified for any repeated-sprint outcome (all p ≥ 0.267). Conclusions: Acute ingestion of 263 mg of EC extract produced a modest overall elevation in blood glucose during submaximal cycling, but did not improve repeated-sprint performance or materially alter the other measured physiological responses. These findings do not support an acute ergogenic effect of EC in experienced male cyclists under the conditions tested.
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BibTeX
@article{ali2026effects,
title = {{Effects of Acute Ecklonia cava Supplementation on Submaximal Cycling and Repeated-Sprint Performance in Trained Cyclists: A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial}},
author = {Yunus Ali and Tom Gurney and James Brouner and Owen Spendiff},
journal = {Nutrients},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/nu18203430},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/20/3430},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effects of Acute Ecklonia cava Supplementation on Submaximal Cycling and Repeated-Sprint Performance in Trained Cyclists: A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial
AU - Yunus Ali
AU - Tom Gurney
AU - James Brouner
AU - Owen Spendiff
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Nutrients
DO - 10.3390/nu18203430
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/20/3430
AB - Background/Objectives: This study examined whether acute Ecklonia cava (EC) ingestion altered physiological responses during submaximal cycling or power output during subsequent repeated maximal sprints in experienced male cyclists. Methods: Twelve cyclists completed a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Participants ingested 263 mg of EC extract or placebo 30 min before 60 min of cycling at 55% of the maximum work rate, followed by three 20 s maximal sprints. Blood glucose, blood lactate, heart rate, oxygen uptake and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were measured during submaximal cycling; peak power, mean power, blood glucose and blood lactate were assessed during the repeated-sprint test. Outcomes were analysed using linear mixed-effects models incorporating treatment, time, treatment × time, experimental period and allocated sequence. Results: Blood glucose was higher overall following EC than placebo (4.23 ± 0.23 vs. 4.02 ± 0.33 mmol·L−1; mean difference, 0.213 mmol·L−1; 95% CI, 0.046 to 0.379; p = 0.023), but the treatment × time interaction was not significant (p = 0.939). EC did not affect submaximal blood lactate, heart rate, oxygen uptake or RER (all p ≥ 0.096). EC did not alter peak power (mean difference, −2.58 W; 95% CI, −29.51 to 24.35; p = 0.832), mean power (5.93 W; 95% CI, −2.47 to 14.33; p = 0.167), post-sprint glucose (p = 0.481) or post-sprint lactate (p = 0.060). No treatment × time interaction was identified for any repeated-sprint outcome (all p ≥ 0.267). Conclusions: Acute ingestion of 263 mg of EC extract produced a modest overall elevation in blood glucose during submaximal cycling, but did not improve repeated-sprint performance or materially alter the other measured physiological responses. These findings do not support an acute ergogenic effect of EC in experienced male cyclists under the conditions tested.
SN - 2072-6643
ER -