Abbreviations:
fatigue
EVENTS
Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a native fruit of the Amazonian basin which has been used as a traditional medicine for centuries by indigenous populationsInitial studies conducted by Galduróz and colleaguesSuccessful performance in many modern sports necessitates an athlete’s capacity to simultaneously control a variety of physiological and cognitive loads. Such sports include modern pentathlon whereby optimal cognitive functioning is essential during combined events (laser-run)It is apparent that guarana supplementation affects several areas of cognition which could be highly appealing to athletes who compete in sports that rely heavily on accurate and efficient decision-making processes for successful performance. However, thus far, evidence on how guarana supplementation affects cognitive performance during physical activity is equivocal and limited, particularly as all previous studies have only considered moderate intensities. Increasing the intensity of physical activity is likely to alter the associated fatigue and may therefore interact differently with supplementation compared with moderate intensities of exercise. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of guarana supplementation on cognitive performance, before and after a bout of maximal intensity exercise. It was hypothesised that guarana supplementation would improve cognitive performance in comparison with caffeine and placebo following a bout of maximal intensity exercise.