Abstract
Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is one of the most common substances used by athletes to enhance their performance during competition. Evidence suggests that the performance-enhancing properties of caffeine can be obtained by employing several forms of administration, namely, capsules/tablets, caffeinated drinks (energy drinks and sports drinks), beverages (coffee), and chewing gum. However, caffeinated drinks have become the main form of caffeine administration in sport due to the wide presence of these products in the market. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the different effects of caffeinated drinks on physical performance in various sports categories such as endurance, power-based sports, team sports, and skill-based sports. A systematic review of published studies was performed on scientific databases for studies published from 2000 to 2020. All studies included had blinded and cross-over experimental designs, in which the ingestion of a caffeinated drink was compared to a placebo/control trial. The total number of studies included in this review was 37. The analysis of the included studies revealed that both sports drinks with caffeine and energy drinks were effective in increasing several aspects of sports performance when the amount of drink provides at least 3 mg of caffeine per kg of body mass. Due to their composition, caffeinated sports drinks seem to be more beneficial to consume during long-duration exercise, when the drinks are used for both rehydration and caffeine supplementation. Energy drinks may be more appropriate for providing caffeine before exercise. Lastly, the magnitude of the ergogenic benefits obtained with caffeinated drinks seems similar in women and men athletes. Overall, the current systematic review provides evidence of the efficacy of caffeinated drinks as a valid form for caffeine supplementation in sport.
Highlights
Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is one of the most common substances used by elite athletes before and during competition [1,2], likely due to its well-supported ergogenic properties in a multitude of exercise scenarios [3]
In order to increase the quality of the current review, we only examined peer-reviewed literature and excluded unpublished results in the form of master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, and conference abstracts
The current systematic review, which included 37 studies examining the effect of caffeinated drinks on physical performance in different sports disciplines, suggests that both sports drinks with caffeine and energy drinks effectively increase several aspects of sports performance
Summary
Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is one of the most common substances used by elite athletes before and during competition [1,2], likely due to its well-supported ergogenic properties in a multitude of exercise scenarios [3]. Since the removal of caffeine from the list of banned substances by the World Anti-doping Agency in 2004, athletes can use caffeine foods and caffeine-containing dietary supplements in any quantity and form without the burden of being sanctioned due to contravening any anti-doping rule. Committee [4] and the Australian Institute of Sport [5] All these factors have increased this stimulant’s presence in the market in the form of dietary supplements for sportspeople and the interest of exercise practitioners. The use of high doses of caffeine may be toxic and produce several acute health problems such as cardiovascular events [9]
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