Faculty Mentor(s)

Dr. Fiddy Davis, Kinesiology; Dr. Maureen Dunn, Kinesiology; Dr. Nigel Jiwan, Kinesiology

Document Type

Poster

Event Date

4-17-2026

Abstract

Peppermint essential oil has long been a topic of research for its effects on exercise performance. Although there are mixed results within the current body of literature, some studies propose that it allows for bronchodilation and increased alertness which lead to performance improvements. The purpose of this research was to determine if peppermint oil inhalation has an effect on time to completion, heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory reserve volume in one second (FEV1) during a 100-yd swim in D3 swimmers. A group of twenty D3 swimmers (M=12, F=8) volunteered to participate in this study. In this single-blind, cross-over design study, the subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: treatment and placebo. The treatment group inhaled two drops of peppermint oil on a mask while the placebo group inhaled two drops of water. Both groups had the mask on for five minutes before sprinting a 100-yd freestyle race. Records were made of time, HR, and RPE post swim as well as FVC/FEV1 ratio pre and post swim. Although peppermint oil improved swim times by 0.482s ± 1.78s, there was not a significant difference (p=0.120). Additionally, there were no significant differences between HR (p=0.146), RPE (p=0.435), and difference between FVC/FEV1 ratio pre and post swim (p=0.113). Thus, inhalation of peppermint oil may have a performance benefit in D3 swimmers, though further inquiry on this topic is required.

Comments

One author's name appears differently on poster than the abstract booklet: Katherine Eggleston.

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