Abstract
The present study investigated the effect of ingesting caffeine-dose-matched anhydrous caffeine or coffee on the performance of repeated sprints. Twelve recreationally active males (mean ± SD age: 22 ± 2 years, height: 1.78 ± 0.07 m, body mass: 81 ± 16 kg) completed eighteen 4 s sprints with 116 s recovery on a cycle ergometer on four separate occasions in a double-blind, randomised, counterbalanced crossover design. Participants ingested either 3 mg·kg−1 of caffeine (CAF), 0.09 g·kg−1 coffee, which provided 3 mg·kg−1 of caffeine (COF), a taste-matched placebo beverage (PLA), or a control condition (CON) 45 min prior to commencing the exercise protocol. Peak and mean power output and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded for each sprint. There were no significant differences in peak power output (CAF: 949 ± 199 W, COF: 949 ± 174 W, PLA: 971 ± 149 W and CON: 975 ± 170 W; p = 0.872; = 0.02) or mean power output (CAF: 873 ± 172 W, COF: 862 ± 44 W, PLA: 887 ± 119 W and CON: 892 ± 143 W; p = 0.819; = 0.03) between experimental conditions. Mean RPE was similar for all trials (CAF: 11 ± 2, COF: 11 ± 2, PLA: 11 ± 2 and CON: 11 ± 2; p = 0.927; = 0.01). Neither the ingestion of COF or CAF improved repeated sprint cycling performance in relatively untrained males.
Highlights
The majority of research into caffeine as an ergogenic aid has focused on endurance performance, there is evidence to suggest that caffeine positively affects short-term high-intensity performance [1]
The main findings are that neither COF nor CAF improved repeated sprint performance compared with placebo beverage (PLA)
Findings are that neither COF nor CAF improved repeated sprint performance compared with PLA
Summary
The majority of research into caffeine as an ergogenic aid has focused on endurance performance, there is evidence to suggest that caffeine positively affects short-term high-intensity performance [1]. A number of studies report significant improvements in short-term high-intensity [2,3,4]. Paton et al [8] (6 mg·kg−1 of caffeine) and Glaister et al [9] (2–10 mg·kg−1 of caffeine) reported that caffeine had no effect on repeated sprint performance. A number of other possible mechanisms have been attributed to the ergogenic effects of caffeine including central nervous system facilitation [12] and mobilisation of intracellular calcium [13], as Tarnopolsky and Cupido [14] suggested that caffeine increases calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Tarnopolsky [15] suggested that caffeine increases motor-unit recruitment, contractility of skeletal muscle and force production by enhanced neuromuscular transmission, Sports 2016, 4, 45; doi:10.3390/sports4030045 www.mdpi.com/journal/sports
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