DESENVOLVIMENTO DE GEL DE CARBOIDRATO CONTENDO BETERRABA E CAJÁ: EFEITOS EM PARÂMETROS CARDIORRESPIRATÓRIOS E NA PERCEPÇÃO SUBJETIVA AO ESFORÇO DE CICLISTAS

Abstract

When exercising, as energy stores are reduced, there is less aerobic resistance, causing fatigue and hypoglycemia, especially in long training sessions, such as cycling, requiring the need for carbohydrate supplementation. In this sense, the use of a carbohydrate gel supplement becomes interesting due to its practicality in consuming during training and competitions. Aiming for a more natural composition, two constituents are of interest, beetroot and cajá. Because it is rich in nitrate, and under appropriate pH conditions, it gives a natural purplish-red color, and cajá, a fruit found in the Cerrado, rich in antioxidants, with an ideal pH for the stability of deficiency pigments, has there is synergy between the ingredients, favoring the achievement of a “clean label” product. The objective of this study was to develop a carbohydrate gel supplement contained in cajá and carry out nutritional intervention with cyclists, evaluating cardiorespiratory parameters and subjective perception of exertion. The study is characterized as a planned clinical trial, of the crossover type, double-blind, with non-probabilistic sampling, for convenience, approved by the ethics committee of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. Gels containing cajá pulp were prepared, with levels of carbohydrate of 65% (F1 and F2) and 70% (F3 and F4), varying the content of cajá pulp and pulp between 1.7 and 2.5%, maltodextrin between 50 and 60% and sugar between 10 and 15%. Physicochemical and microbiological characterization was carried out. Sensory characterization occurred in three stages, in the 1st stage F1, F2, F3 and F4 were compared; in the 2nd stage, F1 and F2 were compared (more accepted in the 1st stage) and in the 3rd, F1 and the standard gel were compared. In the nutritional intervention, the F1 gel (65% carbohydrates) and the standard gel were applied, in two controlled 50-minute training sessions, offering 30 g of gel every 20 minutes of training. The training sessions took place a week apart. Heart rate and blood pressure assessments were carried out before and after training, as well as assessment of subjective perception of exertion (RPE). The collected data were analyzed considering a 5% level of significance. The standard gel presented higher moisture, ash, protein and lower carbohydrate content than formulations F2, F3 and F4, not differing from F1. The results of the sensory analyzes showed that the formulated gels were well accepted, without showing any statistical difference (p>0.05) between them. The F1 gel (69.13±2.68 g of carbohydrates) was used in the intervention as it had carbohydrate levels closer to the standard gel (66.68±0.70 g). Microbiological analyzes of Salmonella sp., Enterobacteria, molds and yeasts were absent or lower than the reference standard. Ten male cyclists participated in the study, with a mean age of 39,50 ± 11,42 years. There was a statistically significant difference between HR before and after training 1 (p=0.0001) and training 2 (p=0.002). Only in training 2, SBP (p=0.012) and DBP (p=0.048) decreased. There was no statistically significant difference between having consumed gel A (standard) or B (developed gel) for the RPE, HR and BP values before and after training 1 and training 2. For maximum and average HR, there was also no difference between having consumed gel A or B, for both training sessions. It is concluded that both gels were similar in terms of their effects on cardiovascular parameters, demonstrating that the addition of beetroot and cajá, although in low quantities, were efficient when compared to the standard gel, in addition to contributing to obtaining a more natural supplement and innovative, with fruit from the Cerrado, positively impacting the regional bioeconomy. Key words: Cerrado Fruits; Nutritional supplementation; Athletes; Sports nutrition.