Carbohydrate and Caffeine Improves High-Intensity Running of Elite Rugby League Interchange Players During Simulated Match Play.

Abstract

Clarke, JS, Highton, J, Close, GL, and Twist, C. Carbohydrate and caffeine improves high-intensity running of elite rugby league interchange players during simulated match play. J Strength Cond Res 33(5): 1320-1327, 2019-The study examined the effects of carbohydrate and caffeine ingestion on simulated rugby league interchange performance. Eight male elite rugby league forwards completed 2 trials of a rugby league simulation protocol for interchange players 7 days apart in a randomized crossover design, ingesting either carbohydrate (CHO; 40 g·h) or carbohydrate and caffeine (CHO-C) (40 g·h + 3 mg·kg) drink. Movement characteristics, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and countermovement jump (CMJ) height were measured during the protocol. CHO-C resulted in likely to very likely higher mean running speeds (effect size [ES] 0.43-0.75), distance in high-intensity running (ES 0.41-0.64), and mean sprint speeds (ES 0.39-1.04) compared with CHO. Heart rate was possibly to very likely higher (ES 0.32-0.74), and RPE was likely to very likely lower (ES -0.53 to 0.86) with CHO-C. There was a likely trivial to possibly higher CMJ in CHO-C compared with CHO (ES 0.07-0.25). The coingestion of carbohydrate with caffeine has an ergogenic effect to reduce the sense of effort and increase high-intensity running capability that might be used to enhance interchange running performance in elite rugby league players.