Academic Journal
Acute topical menthol application and exercise performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis of perceptual and physiological responses.
| Τίτλος: | Acute topical menthol application and exercise performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis of perceptual and physiological responses. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Wang Y; College of Physical Education, Guizhou University of Engineering Science, Guizhou, China. Electronic address: 14684304@qq.com., Fan X; Faculty of Sports and Exercise Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: fanxiaohan5@gmail.com., Li H; School of Physical Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China. Electronic address: hanson-swu@foxmail.com., Zhang X; Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. Electronic address: starz@correo.ugr.es., Yin M; School of Coaching, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: mingyue0531@sus.edu.cn., Xu K; School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: 2221152066@sus.edu.cn., Zhong Y; School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia. Electronic address: 2221111051@sus.edu.cn., Zhang Y; School of Sports Training, Tianjin University of Sport, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: zhangyilin230019@gmail.com., Cui J; Faculty of Sports and Exercise Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: 1551721941@qq.com., Song T; Faculty of Sports and Exercise Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: tianyusong123@outlook.com., Liu P; Faculty of Sports and Exercise Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: liu2578794@gmail.com., Deng H; Faculty of Sports and Exercise Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: denghengzhi66@gmail.com. |
| Πηγή: | Journal of thermal biology [J Therm Biol] 2026 Aug; Vol. 140, pp. 104529. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jun 29. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Systematic Review; Meta-Analysis; Review |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Pergamon Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 7600115 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 0306-4565 (Print) Linking ISSN: 03064565 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Therm Biol Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Oxford, New York, Pergamon Press. |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Menthol*/administration & dosage , Menthol*/pharmacology , Exercise*, Thermosensing/drug effects ; Humans ; Administration, Topical |
| Περίληψη: | Objectives: Topical menthol is increasingly used as a perceptual cooling strategy during exercise, yet its ergogenic potential and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Unlike previous route-mixed meta-analyses, this systematic review and three-level meta-analysis specifically examined the effects of acute topical menthol application on exercise performance alongside perceptual and physiological responses. Design: Meta-analysis. Methods: Six databases were searched from inception to March 2026. Randomized or controlled trials examining acute topical menthol application during exercise were included. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB-2. Three-level meta-analyses accounted for dependence among multiple outcomes. Prespecified moderators included sex, training status, environmental condition, application method, application site, and exercise modality. Sensitivity analyses addressed outliers and influential cases. Results: Sixteen studies involving 191 participants were included. Topical menthol produced a small but significant improvement in exercise performance (g = 0.27, p = 0.02). Thermal sensation (g = -0.74) and perceived exertion (g = -0.35) were reduced, with a small improvement in thermal comfort (g = 0.34), whereas core body temperature was unchanged. Performance benefits were most evident in aerobic endurance tasks, following rub-on application methods, and under temperate conditions, whereas effects in hot environments (≥30 °C) were smaller and not statistically significant. Several subgroup findings were sensitive to influential observations and should be interpreted cautiously. Conclusions: Acute topical menthol may provide a small ergogenic benefit primarily through perceptual cooling rather than physiological heat strain. Effects appear context dependent and most relevant for endurance exercise. Further well-controlled studies are needed to clarify optimal application strategies and environmental conditions. (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.) |
| Competing Interests: | Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Exercise performance; Meta-analysis; Perceptual cooling; Thermal perception; Topical menthol |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 1490-04-6 (Menthol) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260701 Date Completed: 20260904 Latest Revision: 20260910 |
| Update Code: | 20260911 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2026.104529 |
| PMID: | 42385298 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 0306-4565 |
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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2026.104529 |