Abstract
BackgroundTheacrine (1,3,7,9-tetramethyluric-acid) is a pure alkaloid with a similar structure to caffeine and acts comparably as an adenosine receptor antagonist. Early studies have shown non-habituating effects, including increases in energy and focus in response to Teacrine®, the compound containing pure theacrine. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the effects of Teacrine® and caffeine on cognitive performance and time-to-exhaustion during a simulated soccer game in high-level male and female athletes.MethodsMale and female soccer players (N = 24; MAge = 20.96 ± 2.05y, MMaleVO2max = 55.31 ± 3.39 mL/O2/kg, MFemaleVO2max = 50.97 ± 3.90 mL/O2/kg) completed a 90-min simulated treadmill soccer match over four randomized sessions (TeaCrine®, caffeine, TeaCrine® + caffeine, placebo). Cognitive testing at halftime and end-of-game including simple reaction time (SRT), choice RT (CRT), and cognitive-load RT with distraction questions (COGRT/COGRTWrong) was performed, with a run time-to-exhaustion (TTE) at 85% VO2max following end-of-game cognitive testing. Session times and pre-exercise nutrition were controlled. RM-MANOVAs with univariate follow-ups were conducted and significance was set at P < 0.05.ResultsTTE trended towards significance in TeaCrine® and TeaCrine® + caffeine conditions compared to placebo (P < 0.052). A condition main effect (P < 0.05) occurred with faster CRT in caffeine and TeaCrine® + caffeine compared to placebo. COGRTWrong showed a significant time main effect, with better accuracy at end-of-game compared to halftime (P < 0.05). A time x condition interaction in SRT (P < 0.05) showed placebo improved from halftime to end-of-game.ConclusionsThe 27–38% improvements in TTE reflect increased performance capacity that may have important implications for overtime scenarios. These findings suggest TeaCrine® favorably impacts endurance and the combination with caffeine provides greater benefits on cognitive function than either supplement independently.
Highlights
Theacrine (1,3,7,9-tetramethyluric-acid) is a pure alkaloid with a similar structure to caffeine and acts comparably as an adenosine receptor antagonist
It is important to note that the research investigating sports with both aerobic and anaerobic components has primarily used energy drinks to explore the effects of caffeine on performance outcomes, which may confound interpretations of caffeine’s ergogenic effects due to potential compound interactions of ingredients within the energy drinks [23,24,25]
Subjects completed four test sessions in randomized order after ingesting either 275 mg placebo (PL), 275 mg TeaCrine® (TCr), 275 mg caffeine (Caf ), or a 125/150 mg combination of TeaCrine® and caffeine (TCr + Caf ) 30 min prior to exercise. This time-frame was used in order to allow the caffeine and Teacrine® to be absorbed and achieve peak concentration through the middle of the test session
Summary
Theacrine (1,3,7,9-tetramethyluric-acid) is a pure alkaloid with a similar structure to caffeine and acts comparably as an adenosine receptor antagonist. Caffeine functions as a competitive inhibitor of adenosine, regulating sleep/wake cycles by binding to adenosine receptors to block their actions while increasing concentrations of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin to mediate concentration, mood, and fatigue [3,4,5,6,7]. This inhibition of adenosine receptors alters the autonomic nervous system, subsequently increasing systolic blood pressure and heart rate, with further augmentation of this response under exercise conditions [8,9,10]. It is important to note that the research investigating sports with both aerobic and anaerobic components has primarily used energy drinks to explore the effects of caffeine on performance outcomes, which may confound interpretations of caffeine’s ergogenic effects due to potential compound interactions of ingredients within the energy drinks [23,24,25]
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