XiaoDong Cheng, Yitong Lin, Zihao Li
Objective: This study investigated the effects of acute pre-exercise taurine supplementation at different doses on exercise performance during exhaustive exercise and subsequent repeated sprint (RS; 6 sprints) activity in a high temperature and high humidity (HTHM) environment. Methods: Sixteen college students (8 males and 8 females) participated in a single-blind, randomized, crossover-controlled trial. Participants completed four experimental conditions: high-dose taurine (HDG, 6g), medium-dose taurine (MDG, 4g), low-dose taurine (LDG, 1g), and placebo (PG). Sports performance, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions were assessed, including peak power (PP), mean power (MP), fatigue index (FI), reverse vertical jump (RVJ) height, time to exhaustion (ET), heart rate (HR), blood lactate (BLA), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Results: During RS, PP and MP declined progressively across sprints (P < 0.05). Taurine supplementation attenuated the decline in power output compared with PG. In males, the HDG showed greater preservation of PP and MP, whereas in females, the LDG was more effective in maintaining MP, and the PG exhibited the greatest reduction in power output. Taurine supplementation increased exercise tolerance in a dose- and sex-dependent manner. ET was significantly longer in the HDG than in the PG in males, whereas in females, ET was significantly higher in the MDG compared with the PG (P < 0.05). RVJ performance decreased following exhaustive exercise in females (P < 0.05). Although no significant differences were observed in HR, BLA, or RPE among conditions, typical post-exercise response patterns were evident. Conclusion: Acute taurine supplementation prolongs time to exhaustion and enhances repeated sprint performance in HTHM environment, with dose- and sex-specific effects. Clinical Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06824571, January 22, 2025. Retrospectively registered.