The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of caffeine ingestion on work output at various levels of perceived exertion during 30 min of isokinetie variable-resistance cycling exercise. Ten subjects completed six trials 1 hr after consuming either 6 mg · kg−1caffeine (3 trials) or a placebo (3 trials). During each trial the subjects cycled at what they perceived to be a rating of 9 on the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale for the first 10 min, a rating of 12 for the next 10 min, and a rating of 15 for the final 10 min. Total work performed during the caffeine trials averaged 277.8 ± 26.1 kJ, whereas the mean total work during the placebo trials was 246.7 ± 21.5 kJ (p< .05). Blood glycerol and free fatty acid levels increased over time to a significantly greater degree in the caffeine trials than in the placebo trials (p< .05). However, there were no significant differences between conditions in respiratory exchange ratio. These data suggest that caffeine may play an ergogenic role in exercise performance by altering both neural perception of effort and substrate availability.

This study examined the effects of 14 days of L-camitine supplementation on muscle and blood camitine fractions, and muscle and blood lactate concentrations, during high-intensity sprint cycling exercise. Eight subjects performed three experimental trials: control 1 (CON I, Day 0), control I! (CON II, Day 14), and L-camitine (L-CN, Day 28). Each trial consisted of a 4-rain ride at 90%, followed by a rest period of 20 min, and thee five repeated 1-min rides at 115%(2 min rest between each). Following CON n, all subjects began dietary supplementation of L-camitine for a period of 14 days (4 g/day). Plasma total acid soluble and free camitine concentrations were significantly higher (p< .05) at all time points following supplementation. L-camitine supplementation had no significant effect on muscle camitine content and thus could not alter lactate accumulation during exercise.

Elevated plasma fatty acids have been shown to spare muscle glycogen during exercise. However, on the basis of recent findings, the saturation of fatty acids may influence this response. The purpose of this study was to determine whether saturated or unsaturated fatty acids affected muscle glycogenolysis to varying degrees during cycle exercise. Five healthy men completed three 60-min cycle ergometer trials (EX) at approximately 70% maximal O2 uptake (VO2max). Triglyceride levels were elevated by a fat feeding (FF) composed of 90% saturated fatty acids (heavy whipping cream, 90 g) or by the infusion of Intralipid (IL; Clintec Nutrition; 45 ml/h of 20% IL, 9.0 g), which was 85% unsaturated. A control trial (CON) consisted of a light breakfast (43 g carbohydrate and 1 g fat). Heparin (2,000 U) was administered 15 min before EX in FF and IL trials, resulting in one- and threefold increases in free fatty acid (FFA) levels in IL and FF, respectively. Pre-EX muscle glycogen did not differ. The utilization of muscle glycogen during 60 min of EX was less (P < 0.05) during the FF (60.0 +/- 5.2 mmol/kg wet wt) and IL (58.6 +/- 6.2 mmol/kg wet wt) compared with CON (81.8 +/- 7.5 mmol/kg wet wt). There was no difference between FF and IL in the amount of glycogen utilized. Serum triglyceride levels were greater (P < 0.05) at preheparin in FF (1.58 +/- 0.37 mmol/l) and IL (0.98 +/- 0.13 mmol/l) compared with CON (0.47 +/- 0.14 mmol/l).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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