Why do athletes spit out Gatorade? The science behind carb-rinsing
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3 min read
Athletes sometimes rinse and spit out sports drinks like Gatorade, a technique known as carbohydrate mouth rinsing or 'carb-rinsing'. This method can actually improve performance, with some studies showing a 2-3% increase in endurance for efforts lasting up to an hour. Far from being wasteful, this practice is a strategic method to 'trick' the brain, leveraging the brain-mouth connection to optimize performance during high-intensity exercise.
