Are Published Studies on Ergogenic Aids in Sports Science Biased Towards Positive Results?

Abstract

We investigated the potential for publication bias in the field of sports science regarding studies on ergogenic aids and their effects on exercise performance. We found evidence to suggest that journals tend to prioritize studies with positive results (76%), while neglecting those with negative outcomes (2.7%). Worryingly, this could lead to a discrepancy between reported conclusions and actual study outcomes. We also identified inconsistencies between reported outcomes and actual performance variable outcomes. Taken together, these data highlight the need for future research to reduce bias and encourage the publication of studies with both positive and negative results to improve the reliability of scientific evidence in this field.