Different dietary supplements and centrally-acting compounds such as caffeine, carbohydrate and creatine have been widely used in a variety of exercise performance and sporting scenarios. Several of these substances have been suggested to act as ergogenic aids by either increasing the physical (and cognitive) performance of an individual during exercise, or maximizing the recovery from a single or multiple exercise bout session. Naturally, there has been an increase in attention amongst athletes of different sport modalities, as well as exercise practitioners, towards supplements potentially capable of improving performance. In this regard, centrally-acting compounds and nutritional supplements have gained particular attention, as they may counterbalance fatigue occurring at central sites (i.e., central nervous system), thereby attenuating and improving central fatigue-limited performance. Yet, little is still known about the effects of different centrally-acting dietary supplements on a variety of physiological variables indicative of cerebral performance (e.g., electroencephalography, tissue oxygenation, corticomotor excitability), as well as muscle performance (e.g., electromyography, tissue oxygenation and morphology). Additionally, given the relationship between physical and cognitive performance in different sports settings, their impact on psychological variables such as perception of effort, fatigue sensation and mood may also be valuable. This Research Topic welcomes studies that investigate the effect of centrally-acting compounds on physiological and psychological exercise responses. This is particularly important to further understand the exercise-central fatigue relationship. Likewise, approaching pharmacological and psychological effects of a centrally-acting compound or supplement on exercise responses (expectancy of ingesting an ergogenic substance) is similarly important. We therefore welcome themes such as, but not limited to, effects of dietary manipulation (e.g., caffeine, lactate, carbohydrate, creatine and others, including the placebo effects) on brain and muscular, as well as behavioral aspects (such as cognitive performance and psychological alterations), during, before or after an acute or long-term exercise intervention oriented to improve athletic performance or health.
Different dietary supplements and centrally-acting compounds such as caffeine, carbohydrate and creatine have been widely used in a variety of exercise performance and sporting scenarios. Several of these substances have been suggested to act as ergogenic aids by either increasing the physical (and cognitive) performance of an individual during exercise, or maximizing the recovery from a single or multiple exercise bout session. Naturally, there has been an increase in attention amongst athletes of different sport modalities, as well as exercise practitioners, towards supplements potentially capable of improving performance. In this regard, centrally-acting compounds and nutritional supplements have gained particular attention, as they may counterbalance fatigue occurring at central sites (i.e., central nervous system), thereby attenuating and improving central fatigue-limited performance. Yet, little is still known about the effects of different centrally-acting dietary supplements on a variety of physiological variables indicative of cerebral performance (e.g., electroencephalography, tissue oxygenation, corticomotor excitability), as well as muscle performance (e.g., electromyography, tissue oxygenation and morphology). Additionally, given the relationship between physical and cognitive performance in different sports settings, their impact on psychological variables such as perception of effort, fatigue sensation and mood may also be valuable. This Research Topic welcomes studies that investigate the effect of centrally-acting compounds on physiological and psychological exercise responses. This is particularly important to further understand the exercise-central fatigue relationship. Likewise, approaching pharmacological and psychological effects of a centrally-acting compound or supplement on exercise responses (expectancy of ingesting an ergogenic substance) is similarly important. We therefore welcome themes such as, but not limited to, effects of dietary manipulation (e.g., caffeine, lactate, carbohydrate, creatine and others, including the placebo effects) on brain and muscular, as well as behavioral aspects (such as cognitive performance and psychological alterations), during, before or after an acute or long-term exercise intervention oriented to improve athletic performance or health.