Caffeine And Sprinting Performance: Dose Responses And Efficacy

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of caffeine supplementation on short-duration sprint cycling performance and to determine if there was a dose-response effect. METHODS: Using a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 17 well-trained males (means ± standard deviation for age, height, body mass, and body fat of the subjects were: 24 ± 6 years, 1.82 ± 0.06 m, 82.2 ± 6.9 kg, and 13.5 ± 3.4%, respectively) completed seven maximal 10 s sprint trials on an electromagnetically-braked cycle ergometer, with a minimum of 48 hours between trials. Apart from Trial 1, which was used for familiarisation purposes, all trials required subjects to ingest a gelatine capsule containing either caffeine or placebo (maltodextrin) one hour prior to performing each sprint. To examine dose-response effects, the following doses of caffeine were used: 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mg·kg-1. RESULTS: The absence of significant differences in baseline measures of plasma caffeine concentration (established via high performance liquid chromatography) (grand mean: 0.14 ± 0.28 μg·ml-1; p = 0.30) confirmed subject compliance with caffeine abstinence prior to each trial. There was, as anticipated, a significant supplement × time interaction (p < 0.001) with larger caffeine doses producing higher post-supplementation plasma caffeine levels. In comparison with placebo, the results revealed no significant effect of supplementation on peak power (grand mean: 1135 ± 192 W; p = 0.11), mean power (grand mean: 774 ± 111 W; p = 0.55), or time to peak power (grand mean: 4.45 ± 1.16 s; p = 0.17). CONCLUSION: In contrast with the established benefits of caffeine supplementation on endurance performance, the results of this study show that caffeine supplementation has no effect on short-duration sprint cycling performance, irrespective of the dosage used.