Condition
Sailing Performance
Sailing performance is the blend of strength, endurance, mental focus and tactical decision-making that racing demands, with needs shifting by boat class and race length. The evidence is strongest for caffeine, electrolytes and creatine, studied for alertness, sweat losses and power during hiking. Little of it is sailing-specific, though; one small study of 12 people found branched-chain amino acids eased fatigue, but that evidence is limited.
Sources: PMID 21224234
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 2
- Trials
- 1
- People studied
- 12
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatigue Symptoms Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 12 people | |||
| Cortisol No effect | NoneNo effect | 1 study | 12 people | |||
| Heart Rate | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 12 people | |||
Studies that measured heart rate | ||||||
| Power Output | Improves (the measure goes up) | 12 people | ||||
Key findings
- Fatigue SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
- Cortisol
The Sailing Performance Optimization protocol
2 primary supplements · 6 supporting supplements
- Caffeine100–200 mg as needed (3–6 mg/kg for performance)
- Electrolyte Supplements500–1,000 mg sodium plus potassium/magnesium per hour during intense activity
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Studies cited
2 studies from PubMed