Advantages of different dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis

With an increasing number of studies delving into the impact of dietary supplements on combat sports performance, researchers are actively seeking a more efficient dietary supplement for use in these sports. Nonetheless, controversies persist. Hence, we undertook a systematic review and Bayesian net...

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Main Authors: Luo, Hua, Tengku Kamalden, Tengku Fadilah, Zhu, Xiaolin, Xiang, Changqing, Nasharuddin, Nurul Amelina
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Research 2025
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118410/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118410/1/118410.pdf
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author Luo, Hua
Tengku Kamalden, Tengku Fadilah
Zhu, Xiaolin
Xiang, Changqing
Nasharuddin, Nurul Amelina
author_facet Luo, Hua
Tengku Kamalden, Tengku Fadilah
Zhu, Xiaolin
Xiang, Changqing
Nasharuddin, Nurul Amelina
author_sort Luo, Hua
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description With an increasing number of studies delving into the impact of dietary supplements on combat sports performance, researchers are actively seeking a more efficient dietary supplement for use in these sports. Nonetheless, controversies persist. Hence, we undertook a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis to discern the most effective dietary supplements in combat sports by synthesizing the available evidence. We conducted a comprehensive search across PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Embase, and SPORTDiscus, covering the period from their establishment to November 2, 2023. Our aim was to identify randomized controlled trials that evaluated the benefits of various dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes. The risk of bias in these trials was assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Trials. Subsequently, we employed Bayesian network meta-analysis through R software and Stata 15.0. During the analysis, we performed subgroup analysis based on the type of combat, distinguishing between striking and grappling disciplines. The analysis is based on 67 randomized controlled trials that meet all the inclusion criteria, involving 1026 elite combat sports athletes randomly assigned to 26 different dietary supplements or placebos. Results from the 50 trials included in the network meta-analysis indicate that compared to a placebo, sodium bicarbonate combined with caffeine (SMD: 2.3, 95% CrI: 1.5, 3.2), caffeine (SMD: 0.72, 95% CrI: 0.53, 0.93), beta-alanine (SMD: 0.58, 95% CrI: 0.079, 1.1), and sodium bicarbonate (SMD: 0.54, 95% CrI: 0.30, 0.81) was associated with a statistically significant increase in blood lactate concentrations. Compared to placebo, caffeine (SMD: 0.27, 95% CrI: 0.12, 0.41) was associated with a statistically significant increase in the final heart rate. Compared to placebo, creatine combined with sodium bicarbonate (SMD: 2.2, 95% CrI: 1.5, 3.1), creatine (SMD: 1.0, 95% CrI: 0.38, 1.6), and sodium bicarbonate (SMD: 0.42, 95% CrI: 0.18, 0.66) was associated with a statistically significant increase in mean power. Compared to placebo, creatine combined with sodium bicarbonate (SMD: 1.6, 95% CrI: 0.85, 2.3), creatine (SMD: 1.1, 95% CrI: 0.45, 1.7), and sodium bicarbonate (SMD: 0.35, 95% CrI: 0.11, 0.57) was associated with a statistically significant increase in peak power. Compared to placebo, caffeine (SMD: 1.4, 95% CrI: 0.19, 2.7) was associated with a statistically significant increase in the number of kicks. Compared to placebo, caffeine (SMD: 0.35, 95% CrI: 0.081, 0.61) was associated with a statistically significant increase in the number of throws. This study suggests that a range of dietary supplements, including caffeine, sodium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate combined with caffeine, creatine, creatine combined with sodium bicarbonate, and beta-alanine can improve the athletic performance of elite combat sports athletes.
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spelling upm-1184102025-07-09T07:11:12Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118410/ Advantages of different dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis Luo, Hua Tengku Kamalden, Tengku Fadilah Zhu, Xiaolin Xiang, Changqing Nasharuddin, Nurul Amelina With an increasing number of studies delving into the impact of dietary supplements on combat sports performance, researchers are actively seeking a more efficient dietary supplement for use in these sports. Nonetheless, controversies persist. Hence, we undertook a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis to discern the most effective dietary supplements in combat sports by synthesizing the available evidence. We conducted a comprehensive search across PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Embase, and SPORTDiscus, covering the period from their establishment to November 2, 2023. Our aim was to identify randomized controlled trials that evaluated the benefits of various dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes. The risk of bias in these trials was assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Trials. Subsequently, we employed Bayesian network meta-analysis through R software and Stata 15.0. During the analysis, we performed subgroup analysis based on the type of combat, distinguishing between striking and grappling disciplines. The analysis is based on 67 randomized controlled trials that meet all the inclusion criteria, involving 1026 elite combat sports athletes randomly assigned to 26 different dietary supplements or placebos. Results from the 50 trials included in the network meta-analysis indicate that compared to a placebo, sodium bicarbonate combined with caffeine (SMD: 2.3, 95% CrI: 1.5, 3.2), caffeine (SMD: 0.72, 95% CrI: 0.53, 0.93), beta-alanine (SMD: 0.58, 95% CrI: 0.079, 1.1), and sodium bicarbonate (SMD: 0.54, 95% CrI: 0.30, 0.81) was associated with a statistically significant increase in blood lactate concentrations. Compared to placebo, caffeine (SMD: 0.27, 95% CrI: 0.12, 0.41) was associated with a statistically significant increase in the final heart rate. Compared to placebo, creatine combined with sodium bicarbonate (SMD: 2.2, 95% CrI: 1.5, 3.1), creatine (SMD: 1.0, 95% CrI: 0.38, 1.6), and sodium bicarbonate (SMD: 0.42, 95% CrI: 0.18, 0.66) was associated with a statistically significant increase in mean power. Compared to placebo, creatine combined with sodium bicarbonate (SMD: 1.6, 95% CrI: 0.85, 2.3), creatine (SMD: 1.1, 95% CrI: 0.45, 1.7), and sodium bicarbonate (SMD: 0.35, 95% CrI: 0.11, 0.57) was associated with a statistically significant increase in peak power. Compared to placebo, caffeine (SMD: 1.4, 95% CrI: 0.19, 2.7) was associated with a statistically significant increase in the number of kicks. Compared to placebo, caffeine (SMD: 0.35, 95% CrI: 0.081, 0.61) was associated with a statistically significant increase in the number of throws. This study suggests that a range of dietary supplements, including caffeine, sodium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate combined with caffeine, creatine, creatine combined with sodium bicarbonate, and beta-alanine can improve the athletic performance of elite combat sports athletes. Nature Research 2025-01-02 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_nc_nd_4 http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118410/1/118410.pdf Luo, Hua and Tengku Kamalden, Tengku Fadilah and Zhu, Xiaolin and Xiang, Changqing and Nasharuddin, Nurul Amelina (2025) Advantages of different dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis. Scientific Reports, 15. art. no. 271. pp. 1-31. ISSN 2045-2322; eISSN: 2045-2322 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-84359-3?error=cookies_not_supported&code=2ac7fe9b-2356-4b96-9da7-bd75dfb70462 10.1038/s41598-024-84359-3
spellingShingle Luo, Hua
Tengku Kamalden, Tengku Fadilah
Zhu, Xiaolin
Xiang, Changqing
Nasharuddin, Nurul Amelina
Advantages of different dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis
title Advantages of different dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis
title_full Advantages of different dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis
title_fullStr Advantages of different dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Advantages of different dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis
title_short Advantages of different dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis
title_sort advantages of different dietary supplements for elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review and bayesian network meta-analysis
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118410/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118410/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118410/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118410/1/118410.pdf