Caffeine’s effect on intermittent sprint cycling performance with different rest intervals

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of caffeine ingestion on the performance of an intermittent sprint cycling test (ISCT) with different rest intervals. Fourteen males with team sport experience consumed 6 mg kg(-1) of caffeine or a placebo 60 min prior to completing two sets of an ISCT with 4-min rest intervals. Each set consisted of 12 × 4-s sprints with 20- or 90-s active recovery intervals at 60-70 rpm. Blood lactate was collected at baseline and immediately following the completion of six sprints in each set. At 20-s recovery intervals, peak power and total work were not significantly different between conditions during the ISCT (P > 0.05); but caffeine reduced 6.31% effort for mean power in Sprint 10 of the later stage, as well as an increased fatigue index and elevated blood lactate levels during the ISCT (P < 0.05). At 90-s recovery intervals, peak power, mean power, and total work under caffeine conditions were significantly higher than under placebo conditions during the ISCT (P < 0.05), but no differences were apparent in fatigue index and blood lactate levels (P > 0.05). In conclusion, caffeine ingestion may be ergolytic, affecting performance and fatigue development in the later stage during a prolonged and intermittent sprint test with a short recovery interval. However, caffeine produces an ergogenic effect in the initial stage of an intermittent sprint performance with a longer recovery interval.

Effects of carbohydrate combined with caffeine on repeated sprint cycling and agility performance in female athletes

“…On arrival to the laboratory, participants were provided with a prepacked meal with an energy content of 492.75 Kcal, composed of 64% carbohydrate, 23% fat, and 13% protein. At 7:00 AM, after consuming their prepacked breakfast, participants ingested opaque gelatin capsules containing either 6 mg · kg −1 of CAF (Sigma-Aldrich, Sydney, Australia) or an equal dosage of placebo (cellulose, Holy Food, Taoyuan, Taiwan), along with 200 ml of water [16]. Participants then rested in a quiet room for 50-min prior to ingesting the carbohydrate solution drink or placebo.…”

“…Existing data show that CAF supplementation may benefit sprint performance [12,13] and reactive agility performance [14] via various mechanisms [15]. However, one study demonstrated that caffeine was ergolytic for mean power and fatigue index during the high-intensity sprint test when a 24 × 4-s cycling sprint test with 20-s of active recovery was completed versus a 90-s active recovery between each sprint bout [16]. Numerous studies have also reported that CAF ingestion has a small or negligible effect on sprint performance [16-18] when repeated sprint tests (≤10-s) are interspersed with short rest periods (≤60-s), as well as no effect on reactive agility [19].…”

“…However, one study demonstrated that caffeine was ergolytic for mean power and fatigue index during the high-intensity sprint test when a 24 × 4-s cycling sprint test with 20-s of active recovery was completed versus a 90-s active recovery between each sprint bout [16]. Numerous studies have also reported that CAF ingestion has a small or negligible effect on sprint performance [16-18] when repeated sprint tests (≤10-s) are interspersed with short rest periods (≤60-s), as well as no effect on reactive agility [19]. Although CAF significantly improved ISE [12,13,20], a number of studies have suggested that CAF doses of 2–6 mg · kg −1 are likely to improve ISE but not RSE performance; in other words, caffeine ingestion may negatively affect repeated sprint performance with short recovery intervals in the later stages of exercise [16,21].…”

Effect of the recovery duration of a repeated sprint exercise on the power output, jumping performance and lactate concentration in pre-pubescent soccer players

“…Observing the above-mentioned RSE protocols, a trend that should be highlighted is the use of a relatively large recovery time (>1 min) mostly when the trial lasts for at least 30 s. During these exercises, fatigue is recorded as changes in the power output, the blood lactate concentration and the knee extension maximum voluntary contraction force [18,24,25].…”

“…For instance, a 24 s recovery has been used in protocols of 5 × 6 s (number of trials × duration of each trial) [16]; a 20 and 90 s recovery has been used in 12 × 4 s [18]; a 25, 50 and 100 s recovery in 10 × 5 s [24]; a 30 s recovery in 4 × 10 s [21], 5 × 6 s [9] and 6×6 s protocols [8]; 30 s, 1 and 5 min recovery in 10 × 10 s [27]; and a 40 s recovery in a 10×10 s protocol [17]. Moreover, longer recovery times have ranged from 1.5, 3 and 6 min in 2 × 30 s [3]; 3 min in 10 × 10 s [25]; 4 min in 3 × 30 s [32] and in 6 × 30 s protocols [20]; 5 min in 5 × 60 s [7]; and 20 min in a 3 × 30 s protocol [1].…”