The effect of caffeine ingestion on skill maintenance and fatigue in epee fencers

Abstract

The ergogenic effect of caffeine on sports performance focuses predominantly on endurance sports (Doherty & Smith, 2004 ) with little research on intermittent high intensity sports. This study aimed to explore the effect of caffeine ingestion on skill maintenance following fencing simulated exercise. Eleven competitive fencers participated (four female; seven male; age 33 ± 6.5 years). Following a maximal test to exhaustion, fencers completed two trials assessing accuracy and reaction times (Stroop test) before and after a fatiguing protocol designed to simulate the demands of a fencing competition. Skill testing involved 30 lunges to hit a target. 500 ml placebo or 3 mg · kg(-1) caffeine supplemented drink was administered after the initial reaction and skill tests in a single-blind crossover design. The fatiguing protocol involved simulating six fights with 6-minute rests between each. Fencers rated their perceived exertion (arm, legs, overall) using the Borg scale. There was no overall effect of caffeine on total skill score (P = 0.40), however there was a tendency for fewer misses with caffeine (P = 0.10). Caffeine had no effect on the Stroop Test. Caffeine produced significantly lower perceived fatigue for overall (P < 0.01). These results provide some support for caffeine producing maintenance of skill and reducing perceived fatigue during fencing.

Caffeine ingestion enhances perceptual responses during intermittent exercise in female team-game players

“…Supplementation as low as 2 mg • kg −1 caffeine had a significant effect on Stroop test performance in males following exhaustive exercise but there was no main effect on either simple or CRT (Hogervorst et al, 1999). In contrast, 3 mg • kg −1 caffeine had no effect on Stroop test performance postexhaustive exercise in a mixed-gender population of epee fencers (Bottoms, Greenhalgh, & Gregory, 2013). In team-sport players, 6 mg • kg −1 caffeine had no effect on CRT following a multiple sprints protocol (Carr, Dawson, Schneiker, Goodman, & Lay, 2008) yet 5 mg • kg −1 caffeine taken in coffee decreased CRT (reaction time only) in soccer players performing cycling exercise to exhaustion (Kruk et al, 2001).…”

Investigating the effects of caffeine on executive functions using traditional Stroop and a new ecologically-valid virtual reality task, the Jansari assessment of Executive Functions (JEF © )

“…In particular, several studies assessing inhibitory control using the Stroop colour-word test (also regarded as a frontal lobe task) have shown inconsistent findings with regards to caffeine's effects. Edwards et al (1996) found no effect of two different caffeine doses (125mg and 250mg) on Stroop performance (computerized or traditional card version), Bottoms et al (2013) found no change in time to complete the Stroop task after caffeine consumptions. Whereas Kenemans et al (1999) showed caffeine to reduce interference during this task in one of their studies but not the other.…”

Effects of Various Doses of Caffeine Ingestion on Intermittent Exercise Performance and Cognition

“…In addition, Ali et al [ 21 ] observed that a caffeine dose of 6 mg/kg effectively decreased RT in the Stroop task among female football players. However, another study found that caffeine did not have an effect on the Stroop performance after exercise [ 22 ]. The differences in these results may be related to the sensitivity of participants to various exercise types, cognitive tests, or caffeine doses.…”