Magnitude of placebo and expectation effects in exercise and supplement research: a systematic review
Beedie CJ, Foad AJ
Evidence is still building up
Summary
A systematic review examining the magnitude and mechanisms of placebo effects in exercise performance and supplement research. Placebo administration alone improved performance by an average of 1–3% in many studies, demonstrating that beliefs, expectations, and labeling exert meaningful effects on physical performance.
Key findings
- 1
Placebo alone improves exercise performance by 1–3% in many reported cases
- 2
Placebo effects contribute to performance improvements in caffeine, creatine, and ergogenic aid research
- 3
Placebo effects are heavily influenced by supplement credibility, context, and labeling
- 4
Rigorous double-blind designs are essential in supplement research; underestimating placebo effects inflates apparent true effects
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CaffeineView in official storeSmall gains in maximal strength and power
CreatineView in official storeImproved high-intensity, repeated-effort performance
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