The effect of different carbohydrate ingestion rates on physical, skill and cognitive performance during extended simulated soccer: a randomized controlled trial

Carbohydrate (CHO) consumption of 30–60 g per hour has been recommended to maintain performance throughout a 90-minute soccer match. However, studies have yet to directly compare the effect of various carbohydrate intake rates under extended soccer match scenario, such as under extra time scenarios. In a double-blind, repeated measures randomised controlled trial, twelve regionally-competitive male soccer players (age: 24 ± 3 yrs, height: 1.80 ± 0.05 m, weight: 75 ± 7 kg, estimated V̇O2max: 55 ± 2 ml.kg−1.min−1) completed a 120-minute soccer match simulation (SMS) under three conditions. Players consumed either a placebo (PLA; 0 g), moderate (MOD; 30 g CHO maltodextrin), or high (HIGH; 45 g CHO 2:1, maltodextrin: fructose) carbohydrate solutions at 5 practically feasible times during the simulated match play. Physical (15-m sprint time, countermovement jump height), skill (Loughborough soccer passing test (LSPT)), and cognitive (four-choice reaction time, and Stroop test scores) performance were collected throughout. Sprint performance slowed down (time effect: p < 0.001) but was unaffected by treatment (p = 0.98) or interaction (p = 0.16). For skill performance, there was no treatment or interaction effect for completion time of the LSPT, but passing accuracy and ball handling (accrued penalty time) showed better performance in HIGH vs. MOD (p = 0.034) but not HIGH vs. PLA (p = 0.15). Speed and accuracy during cognitive performance was not different between treatments. Gastro-intestinal symptoms were not different between the treatments. Following adherence to optimal pre-exercise carbohydrate intake, consumption of differing carbohydrate intake rates during a 120-minute soccer match simulation were tolerable but did not result in better physical or cognitive performance compared to no carbohydrates.