Investigation of the effect of carbohydrate mouth rinse method on psychophysiological responses and game performance in soccer small-sided game

This study aimed to investigate the effect of carbohydrate mouth rinsing (CHOMR) on various psychophysiological, kinematic, and technical responses during 4vs4 small-sided games in soccer. The research group consisted of 16 male football players (age: 15.44 ± 0.51 years) playing in the U16 category, who were selected in a randomized controlled manner. The study gave the experimental group a CHO solution, while the placebo group (PLC) was given a carbohydrate-free placebo. According to the study's findings, psychophysiological responses were measured by heart rate (HR) mean, HR%, perceived difficulty, enjoyment, mental fatigue and Brunel mood, and kinematic responses during the game with GPS measurements and different technical activities. Kinematic responses were measured regarding total distance traveled during games, high-intensity running distance, and metabolic power average. In addition, technical activities such as successful and unsuccessful passing, shooting, ball control, tackling, and receiving were recorded and analyzed. The study results showed a statistically significant difference in psychophysiological responses such as RPE, mental fatigue, and mood of vitality in the CHOMR group compared to the PLC group (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in kinematic responses (p>0.05). Regarding the technical activities, it was found that there was a statistically significant difference in favor of the CHOMR group in ball winning, successful and unsuccessful double tackle, unsuccessful shot, total shot, successful pass with one touch, total technical activity in the 2nd minute, total technical activity in the 3rd minute, total technical activity in the 4th minute and goal activity (p<0.05). It was determined that there was a difference in the PLC group in interception technical activity (p<0.05). In conclusion, the PLC method positively affected football players' various psychophysiological and technical responses during 4vs4 small-sided games. Coaches, athletes, and sports practitioners can use this information to develop effective strategies to improve soccer performance. However, further research is required to explore the long-term effects and individual variations associated with carbohydrate mouth rinsing in different competitive settings.