Caffeinated Chewing Gum Improves Basketball Shooting Accuracy and Physical Performance Indicators of Trained Basketball Players: A Double-Blind Crossover Trial.

(1) Background: This study investigated the effects of caffeinated chewing gum on the basketball-specific performance of trained basketball players. A double-blind, randomized crossover design was employed. (2) Methods: Fifteen participants (age: 20.9 ± 1.0 years; height: 180.9 ± 5.4 cm; mass: 77.2 ± 7.5 kg; training age: 8.2 ± 0.3 years) were recruited and divided into a caffeine trial (CAF) and placebo trial (PL). The participants in the CAF trial chewed gum containing 3 mg/kg of caffeine for 10 min, while those in the PL trial chewed a placebo gum without caffeine. Following a 15 min rest, all the participants completed basketball-specific performance tests. (3) Results: The free throw accuracy for the CAF trial was significantly higher than that for the PL trial (CAF: 79.0 ± 4.31%; PL: 73.0 ± 9.16%; p = 0.012; Cohen's d = 0.94). Additionally, the CAF trial demonstrated significantly better performance in the 20 m segmented dash (CAF: 2.94 ± 1.12 s; PL: 3.13 ± 0.10 s; p < 0.001; Cohen's d =1.8) and squats (p < 0.05), and exhibited lower fatigue indexes (CAF: 3.6 ± 1.6%; PL: 5.2 ± 1.6%; p = 0.009; Cohen's d =1.0). (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest that chewing gum containing 3 mg/kg of caffeine offers moderate-to-large improvements in key performance aspects relevant to professionally trained basketball players.

5 days of time-restricted feeding increases fat oxidation rate but not affect postprandial lipemia: a crossover trial.

Studies have revealed that time-restricted feeding affects the fat oxidation rate; however, its effects on the fat oxidation rate and hyperlipidemia following high-fat meals are unclear. This study investigated the effects of 5-day time-restricted feeding on the fat oxidation rate and postprandial lipemia following high fat meals. In this random crossover experimental study, eight healthy male adults were included each in the 5-day time-restricted feeding trial and the control trial. The meals of the time-restricted feeding trial were provided at 12:00, 16:00, and 20:00. The meals of the control trial were provided at 08:00, 14:00, and 20:00. The contents of the meals of both trials were the same, and the calories of the meals met the 24-h energy requirement of the participants. After 5 days of the intervention, the participants consumed high-fat meals on the sixth day, and their physiological changes were determined. The fasting fat oxidation rate (p < 0.001) and postprandial fat oxidation rate (p = 0.019) of the time-restricted feeding trial were significantly higher than those of the control trial. The 24-h energy consumption and postprandial triglyceride, blood glucose, insulin, glycerol, and free fatty acid concentrations of the two trials showed no significant differences (p > 0.05). The results revealed that 5 days of time-restricted feeding effectively increased the fasting and postprandial fat oxidation rate, but it did not affect postprandial lipemia.