Acute Caffeinated Coffee Consumption Does not Improve Time Trial Performance in an 800-m Run: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover, Placebo-Controlled Study

Abstract

Introduction: Studies evaluating caffeinated coffee (CAF) can reveal ergogenic effects; however, studies on the effects of caffeinated coffee on running are scarce and controversial. Aim: To investigate the effects of CAF consumption compared to decaffeinated coffee (DEC) consumption on time trial performances in an 800-m run in overnight-fasting runners. Methods: A randomly counterbalanced, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 12 healthy adult males with experience in amateur endurance running. Participants conducted two trials on two different occasions, one day with either CAF or DEC, with a one-week washout. After arriving at the data collection site, participants consumed the soluble CAF (5.5 mg/kg of caffeine) or DEC and after 60 min the run was started. Before and after the 800-m race, blood pressure and lactate and glucose concentrations were measured. At the end of the run, the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) scale was applied. Results: The runners were light consumers of habitual caffeine, with an average ingestion of 91.3 mg (range 6–420 mg/day). Time trial performances did not change between trials (DEF: 2.38 + 0.10 vs. CAF: 2.39 + 0.09 min, p = 0.336), nor did the RPE (DEC: 16.5 + 2.68 vs. CAF: 17.0 + 2.66, p = 0.326). No difference between the trials was observed for glucose and lactate concentrations, or for systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. Conclusion: CAF consumption failed to enhance the time trial performance of an 800-m run in overnight-fasting runners, when compared with DEC ingestion. In addition, no change was found in RPE, blood pressure levels, or blood glucose and lactate concentrations between the two trials.

Is Coffee a Useful Source of Caffeine Preexercise?

“…Graham et al (1998) reported no difference between caffeinated coffee (caffeine dose of 4.45 mg/kg) and decaffeinated coffee in an endurance running task. Marques et al (2018) found that caffeinated coffee (providing 5.5 mg/kg of caffeine) did not enhance 800m time trial run performance when compared to decaffeinated coffee. Lamina and Musa (2009) utilized caffeine doses of 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg, delivered through powdered coffee dissolved in 200 ml of water, finding no ergogenic effect of any caffeine dose on 20m shuttle run performance.…”

“…In summary, when compared to decaffeinated coffee, there is some evidence that caffeinated coffee, providing a typically ergogenic caffeine dose of 3-6 mg/kg, may enhance aerobic endurance performance (Wiles et al, 1992;Hodgson et al, 2013;Clarke et al, 2016), and can lower RPE during exercise (Demura et al, 2007). However, these findings are equivocal, with some authors reporting no ergogenic effect of caffeinated compared to decaffeinated coffee (Marques et al, 2018;Graham et al, 1998;Lamina & Musa 2009;Church et al, 2015;Anderson et al, 2018). The limited research regarding resistance and high-intensity exercise tentatively suggests no benefits to caffeinated coffee above decaffeinated coffee (Richardson & Clarke, 2016;Clarke et al, 2016), but this area merits further research.…”

“…A previous review (Higgins et al, 2016) found that five of nine studies exploring the effects of caffeinated coffee on endurance performance reported that coffee was ergogenic, suggesting it may be a safe alternative to anhydrous caffeine as a performance-enhancer. This previous review (Higgins et al, 2016) focused only on endurance performance; however, since its publication, several other studies have been published, exploring the use of caffeinated coffee on both endurance (Clarke et al, 2018;Marques et al, 2018) and high-intensity (Trexler et al, 2016;Richardson & Clarke, 2016) performance. Furthermore, the authors of this previous review included anhydrous caffeine powder dissolved into decaffeinated coffee within their definition of caffeinated coffee.…”

The Acute Effects of Low-Dose Coffee Consumption on Anaerobic Performance in Adolescent Female Handball Players

“…24,65,67 Bunun aksine aktif erişkin erkeklerde çözünebilir kahve tüketiminin anaerobik güç çıktısına ve 800 m koşu performansına etkisi olmadığını gösteren çalışmalar da vardır. 68,69 Farklı formlarda hazırlanmış kahvenin performansa etkilerinin araştırıldığı çalışma örneklerinde Türk usulü hazırlanan kahvenin (3 mg/kg) 5 km performansında artış sağladığı, bunun aksine ise 2 haftalık düzenli Türk kahvesi tüketiminin (474 mg kafein), 50 km bisiklet performansına etkisinin olmadığı da belirtilmiştir. 70,71 Adölesan ve çocuklarda kafein tüketimi artmasına rağmen atletik performansa etkileriyle ilgili araştırmalar nispeten daha azdır.…”

Caffeine and Exercise: What Next?

“…An additional way in which caffeine is ingested is via coffee [ 161 ]. Whilst coffee, as a method of caffeine ingestion, has been shown to be ergogenic [ 162 ], although not unequivocally [ 163 ], the question remains as to whether it is as effective as caffeine in isolation at improving performance. Graham [ 4 ] concluded that coffee was “probably inferior to caffeine as an ergogenic aid,” and that some of its multiple compounds may reduce the ergogenic effects of caffeine.…”