Efficacy of Nutritional Ergogenic Aids in Hot Environments

Many athletes seeking a competitive edge rely on nutritional ergogenic aids to improve performance. Carbohydrate CHO and caffeine CAF supplementation appear efficacious at enhancing endurance exercise performance when studied under ideal circumstances, but the unique challenges imposed by environmental stressors such as heat may minimize or negate these effects. Similar to findings in temperate or cool environments, CHO intake during endurance exercise in hot environments produces a consistent performance benefit. But in contrast to the benefits observed in moderate environments. CAF affords no apparent performance advantage in the heat. These findings raise interesting questions about nutritional ergogenic mechanisms of action and offer direction for future research.