Can You Use the Placebo Effect for Better Muscle & Strength Gains?
Forget your lifting belt; your mind might just be the most potent tool you have at your disposal to help you perform better in the gym. In a Nov. 8, 2023 YouTube video, exercise science researcher, coach, and competitive powerlifter Dr. Layne Norton expanded on the scientific evidence behind the placebo effect — and offered some helpful real-world tips in the process. Check it out below:
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What Is the Placebo Effect?
You’ve probably heard of it before, but not necessarily regarding exercise. The placebo effect is a psychological phenomenon describing how people’s brains “trick” them into believing something is true when it might not be. Specifically, that a certain behavior or action will create a specific outcome, regardless of the reality or underlying facts.
Scientific researchers often utilize placebos in their studies to help legitimize their experiments. Often colloquially called “sugar pills,” test subjects may be given a physical placebo while being told that they’re ingesting something that has potent properties.
What Science Says
Norton discusses three scientific studies to illustrate the power of the placebo effect on physical performance. One involved ingesting a sports drink prior to a strength training workout, one involved caffeine consumption, and the final paper even monitored the effects of “anabolic steroids” as a placebo.
- The first study showed that subjects who consumed a colored sports drink compared to a translucent one performed more repetitions of a weight training exercise, even though both drinks had identical nutritional composition. (1)
- The second study administered caffeine to some cyclists and a placebo to others. The two groups performed comparably in a timed cycling test, demonstrating the power of “psychological advantages” in sport performance. (2)
- The third study involved fake anabolic steroids. Subjects who were told they were receiving a regimen of Dianabol (a popular exogenous compound) were able to “increase strength gains above and beyond reasonable progression.” (3)
Dr. Norton’s Takeaways
Norton’s primary takeaway from this collection of research involves interpreting anecdotal data. While firsthand experiences do carry some weight, Norton recognizes the power of the placebo effect and how it may color people’s experiences with a new diet or workout regimen. Beyond that, Norton draws the following conclusions from this collection of studies:
- The placebo effect is more than a mental exercise. It has real, tangible effects on physical performance and can be just as effective as actual ergogenic aids in some cases.
- Self-efficacy is just as important when adopting a new behavior as the behavior itself. If you try a new workout plan or diet, believing that it will work can dramatically enhance its efficacy.
- The placebo effect requires some level of delusion in order to be effective. If you’re too critical or analytical of every aspect of your health and performance, you may have trouble “tricking” yourself into utilizing the placebo effect properly.
More Research Content
- How Exercise Affects How the Body Uses Sugar
- The Mike O’Hearn Show: FDA Shifts Peptides to a Schedule II Substance
- New Meta-Analysis Suggests Artificial and Stevia-Based Sweeteners Help Reduce Fat Mass
References
- de Salles Painelli, V., Fernandes, E., Brietzke, C., & Pires, F. O. (2023). The placebo effect of a pink non-caloric, artificially sweetened solution on strength endurance performance and psychological responses in trained individuals. Nutrition and health, 2601060231196590. Advance online publication.
- Anderson, D. E., German, R. E., Harrison, M. E., Bourassa, K. N., & Taylor, C. E. (2020). Real and Perceived Effects of Caffeine on Sprint Cycling in Experienced Cyclists. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 34(4), 929–933.
- ARIEL, GIDEON; SAVILLE, WILLIAM. Anabolic steroids: the physiological effects of placebos. Medicine and Science in Sports 4(2):p 124-126, Summer 1972.
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