Study | Design | Subject description | PSE dosage | Main Interventions | Outcome results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gillies et al18 | Double-blind RCT cross-over, single dose | Volunteer sample of 10 healthy male cyclists with no history of renal or other diseases | 120 mg 90 min prior to testing | Group A (n=10) 120 mg PSE or placebo with exercise, 1-week washout period (2 trials) 120 PSE or placebo with no exercise (1 trial) Exercise: isometric muscle test (peak value) followed by 40 km cycling trial (time to completion) | No significant improvement in any parameters (isometric muscle function) |
Swain et al19 | Double-blind RCT, multiple-dose | Convenience sample of 20 male cyclists (18–35), cycling 50+ miles a week; 10 relevant to PSE | 1 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg 60 min prior to testing | Group A (n=10) 1 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg or placebo with exercise, 1-week washout period (3 trials) Exercise: bicycle ergometer tests (time to exhaustion,VO2max, peak pulse, and RPE) | No significant improvement in any parameters (VO2max, time to exhaustion, peak BP and pulse) for either dose |
Gill et al20 | RCT cross-over, single dose | Volunteer sample of 22 healthy male athletes from university student population with no reported injuries prior to study | 180 mg 45 min prior to testing | Group A (n=22) 180 mg PSE with exercise, 1-week washout period (1 trial) Placebo with exercise (1 trial) Exercise: Wingate test, isometric leg extension, bench press (peak value, heart rate) | Improved maximum torque, improved peak power of maximal cycling, improved respiratory function |
Chester et al21 | RCT cross-over, multiple dose | Recruited sample of 8 male endurance runners | 60 mg, 6 doses over 36 h, 4 h prior to testing | Group A (n=8): 60 mg PSE or placebo with exercise, 1-week washout period (4 trials) Exercise: steady state exercise, 5000 m time trial (VO2max, heart rate, BP, peak time) Statistical data not reported | No significant improvement in any parameters (VO2max, heart rate, and respiratory exchange ratio) |
Chu et al22 | Double-blind RCT cross-over, single dose | Volunteer sample of 10 male, 9 female healthy university students (1 dropout) | 120 mg, 2 h prior to testing | Group A (n=19) 120 mg PSE or placebo with exercise, 1-week washout period (2 trials) Exercise: Wingate test, MVC grip test, dorsiflexion test (peak power output) | No significant improvement in any parameters (force production, fatigue, power output) |
Hodges et al23 | Double-blind RCT cross-over, single dose | 11 healthy male athletes | 60 mg, 90 min prior to testing | Group A: (n=11) 60 mg PSE or placebo with exercise, 1-week washout period (3 trials) Exercise: 40% submaximal cycling, 60% submaximal cycling, Wingate test (VO2peak, peak power output, gross efficiency) | No significant improvement in any parameters (peak power, total work, fatigue, heart rate) |
Hodges et al24 | Double-blind RCT cross-over, single dose | Volunteer sample of 7 male athletes from a university's athletic club (1 dropout) | 2.5 mg/kg, 90 min prior to testing | Group A (n=7): 2.5 mg/kg PSE or placebo with exercise, 2–5-day washout period (2 trials) Exercise: 1500 m time trial (time to completion, blood parameters) | Significantly decreased time to completion trial by 2.1% with no reported side effects |
Pritchard-Peschek et al25 | Double-blind RCT cross-over, single dose | Volunteer sample of 6 trained male cyclists and triathletes | 180 mg, 60 min prior to testing | Group A (n=6) 180 mg PSE or placebo with exercise, 2-week washout period (2 trials) Exercise: 70 kJ/kg standardised work time trial (time to completion) | Significantly decreased time to completion by 5.1% |
Berry 26 | Double-blind RCT, cross-over, single dose | Recruited sample of 13 female student athletes from Utah Track and Field (2 dropouts) | 2.5 mg/kg, 90 min prior to testing | Group A (n=13) 2.5 mg/kg PSE or placebo with exercise, 1-week washout period (2 trials) Exercise: 800 m run time trial (time to completion, heart rate, anxiety state) | No significant improvement in any parameters (time to completion, heart rate, level of anxiety) |
Pritchard-Peschek et al27 | Double-blind RCT, double-blind, cross-over, multiple dose | Volunteer sample of 10 trained male endurance cyclists from local cycling/triathlon clubs | 2.3 mg/kg or 2.8 mg/kg, 60 min prior to testing | Group A (n=10) 2.3 mg/kg, 2.8 mg/kg, or placebo with exercise (3 trials) Exercise: 7 kJ kg−1BM work time trial (time to completion) | No significant improvement in any parameters (time to completion) for either dose |
BP, blood pressure; MVC, maximal voluntary contraction; PSE, pseudoephedrine; RCT, randomised control trial; RPE, rate of perceived exertion; VO2max, maximum oxygen uptake.