ReviewBMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation2021
Peak week recommendations for bodybuilders: an evidence based approach.
Review in BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed.
- Study protocol of the eating and nutritional habits in athletes and controls longitudinal examination - ENHANCE Study.Discover mental health · 2026Article
- Acute effects of inspiratory muscle warm-up on muscular performance and pulmonary function in natural male bodybuilders.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Between Aesthetics and Health: Disordered Eating, Exercise Addiction, and Body Image in Competitive Bodybuilders.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2026Article
- Segmental fat-free mass and lean soft mass: a comparative study with dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and anthropometry and development of anthropometric prediction models.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2025Article
- Hydration Strategies and Body Composition Differences in Male and Female Elite Bodybuilders During Competition.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Effects of caffeinated chewing gum-induced sympathetic activation and diuretic effect on the rapid rate of weight loss in bodybuilders: a double-blind crossover study.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Effects of inspiratory muscle training on 1RM performance and body composition in professional natural bodybuilders.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Article
- An examination of the associations between nutritional peaking strategies in physique sport and competitor characteristics.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2024Article
- Deloading Practices in Strength and Physique Sports: A Cross-sectional Survey.Sports medicine - open · 2024Article
- Peak Week Carbohydrate Manipulation Practices in Physique Athletes: A Narrative Review.Sports medicine - open · 2024Review
- Article
- Training, Pharmacological Ergogenic Aids, Dehydration, and Nutrition Strategies during a Peak Week in Competitive Brazilian Bodybuilders: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study in a Non-World Anti-Doping Agency Competitive Environment.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Integrating Deloading into Strength and Physique Sports Training Programmes: An International Delphi Consensus Approach.Sports medicine - open · 2023Article
- Dietary Intake and Supplement Use in Competitive Women Bodybuilders.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Bodybuilding: A Comprehensive Review of Performance-Enhancing Substance Use and Public Health Implications.Cureus · 2023Review
- Alterations in Measures of Body Composition, Neuromuscular Performance, Hormonal Levels, Physiological Adaptations, and Psychometric Outcomes during Preparation for Physique Competition: A Systematic Review of Case Studies.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2023Review
- Premature Death in Bodybuilders: What Do We Know?Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2023Article
- Can Bodybuilding Peak Week Manipulations Favorably Affect Muscle Size, Subcutaneous Thickness, and Related Body Composition Variables? A Case Study.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Nutritional and Non-Nutritional Strategies in Bodybuilding: Impact on Kidney Function.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Review
- Changes in Intra-to-Extra-Cellular Water Ratio and Bioelectrical Parameters from Day-Before to Day-Of Competition in Bodybuilders: A Pilot Study.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Bodybuilding is a competitive endeavor where a combination of muscle size, symmetry, "conditioning" (low body fat levels), and stage presentation are judged. Success in bodybuilding requires that competitors achieve their peak physique during the day of competition. To this end, competitors have been reported to employ various peaking interventions during the final days leading to competition. Commonly reported peaking strategies include altering exercise and nutritional regimens, including manipulation of macronutrient, water, and electrolyte intake, as well as consumption of various dietary supplements. The primary goals for these interventions are to maximize muscle glycogen content, minimize subcutaneous water, and reduce the risk abdominal bloating to bring about a more aesthetically pleasing physique. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of evidence to support the commonly reported practices employed by bodybuilders during peak week. Hence, the purpose of this article is to critically review the current literature as to the scientific support for pre-contest peaking protocols most commonly employed by bodybuilders and provide evidence-based recommendations as safe and effective strategies on the topic.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.