Trait Energy and Fatigue Modify the Effects of Caffeine on Mood, Cognitive and Fine-Motor Task Performance: A Post-Hoc Study

Abstract

Multiple studies suggest that genetic polymorphisms influence the neurocognitive effects of caffeine. Using data collected from a double-blinded, within-participants, randomized, cross-over design, this study examined the effects of trait (long-standing pre-disposition) mental and physical energy and fatigue to changes in moods (Profile of Mood Survey-Short Form (POMS-SF), state mental and physical energy and fatigue survey), cognitive (serial subtractions of 3 (SS3) and 7 (SS7)), and fine-motor task (nine-hole peg test) performance after consuming a caffeinated beverage and a non-caffeinated placebo. Results indicate that trait mental and physical fatigue and mental energy modified the effects of caffeine on vigor, tension-anxiety, physical, and mental fatigue. Additionally, we report that those who were high trait physical and mental fatigue and low-trait mental energy reported the greatest benefit of caffeine on the SS3 and SS7, while those who were high trait mental and physical fatigue reported the greatest benefit of consuming caffeine on fine-motor task performance. The results of our study suggest that trait mental and physical fatigue and mental energy modify the acute effects of caffeine among a group of healthy, young adults and should be measured and controlled for by researchers who choose to study the effects of caffeine on acute moods and cognitive and fine-motor task performance.

Trait Energy and Fatigue May Be Connected to Gut Bacteria among Young Physically Active Adults: An Exploratory Study

“…Trait fatigue (both mental and physical) was positively skewed, while trait mental energy (both mental and physical) was negatively skewed. This skewness is similar to what has been reported in previous studies using these constructs [ 15 , 23 ]. Exponential, power, arscine, and logarithmic transformation techniques were attempted for all skewed variables; however, these transformations did not result in normally distributed data ( p > 0.05), and the histograms did not differ much from the original.…”

“…These findings may be important for nutrition science researchers because those reporting high trait ME may be hyper- or hypo-responders to some nutritional interventions (i.e., cocoa). Trait moods have been noted to influence acute responses to caffeine [ 23 ]; however, none of the pathways that were significant in the current study were correlated with methylxanthine metabolism.…”

“…The mental and physical state and trait energy and fatigue scales [ 18 ] were used to discriminate between mental and physical energy and fatigue. The reliability and temporal stability of these scales has been previously demonstrated [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ]. For the current study, reliability was tested using Cronbach’s Alpha test in SPSS (IBM Corp.…”

“…As is the case with all moods, the state aspect of energy and fatigue are considered transient (short-term) and can be influenced by outside factors such as physical activity [ 18 , 19 ], sleep [ 20 ], and certain foods [ 21 , 22 ]. Recent evidence suggests that there is a trait aspect of energy and fatigue [ 15 , 16 , 23 ], which modifies the effects of various interventions on state energy and fatigue [ 15 , 23 ], objective measures of energy and fatigue [ 23 ], fine motor control [ 23 ], and other moods such as anxiety and depression [ 23 ].…”

Coffee and Caffeine Consumption for Human Health

“…In 13 males and 17 females, Fuller et al examined the effects of trait (long-standing pre-disposition) mental and physical energy and fatigue to changes in moods, cognitive and fine-motor task performance. The results suggest that evaluating trait may be a practical, low-cost method to control for interindividual differences in the ergogenic neurocognitive effects of caffeine, without the need for genetic testing [ 15 ]. On the other hand, Wilk et al demonstrated that a single moderate dose of caffeine (3–6 mg/kg b.m.)…”