Acute taurine supplementation enhances thermoregulation and endurance cycling performance in the heat

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of oral taurine supplementation on cycling time to exhaustion at a fixed-intensity and thermoregulation in the heat. In a double-blind, randomised crossover design, 11 healthy males participated in a time to exhaustion test in the heat (35°C, 40% RH), cycling at the power output associated with ventilatory threshold, 2 h after ingesting: Taurine (50 mg kg⁻¹) or placebo (3 mg kg⁻¹ maltodextrin). Core and mean skin temperature, mean sweat rate, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), thermal comfort and thermal sensation were measured during exercise and blood lactate concentration (B[La]) was measured after exercise. Taurine supplementation increased time to exhaustion by 10% (25.16 min vs. 22.43 min, p = 0.040), end sweat rate by 12.7% (687 nL min⁻¹ vs. 600 nL min⁻¹, p = 0.034) and decreased B[La] by 16.5% (5.75 mmol L⁻¹ vs. 6.85 mmol L⁻¹, p = 0.033). Core temperature was lower in the final 10% of the time to exhaustion (38.5°C vs. 38.1°C, p = 0.049). Taurine supplementation increased time to exhaustion and local sweating, while decreasing RPE and core temperature in the later stages of exercise, as well as reducing post-exercise B[La]. This study provides the evidence of taurine's role in thermoregulatory processes. These findings have implications for the short-term preparation strategies of individuals exercising in the heat. Based on these findings, a single dose of taurine 2 h prior to training or competition would provide an ergogenic and thermoregulatory effect.

Keywords:

• Amino acids
• sweating
• cooling
• ergogenic aids

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the participants and Charlie Acton for his help during data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Mark Waldron http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2720-4615