Skip to main content

Have a coffee with your intervals?

Take caffeine an hour before your intervals?

Effect of caffeine supplementation on repeated sprint running performance.

AIM: This study examined the effects of 6 mgxkg(-1) caffeine ingestion in team-sport players (N.=10) on repeated-sprint running performance (5 sets of 6 x 20 m) and reaction times, 60 min after caffeine or placebo ingestion. METHODS: Best single sprint and total set sprint times, blood lactate and simple and choice reaction times (RT) were measured. RESULTS: Total sprint times across sets 1, 3 and 5 (departure every 25 s) were significantly faster after caffeine (85.49+/-5.55 s) than placebo (86.98+/-5.78 s) (P<0.05). Similarly, total sprint times across sets 2 and 4 (departure every 60 s), were significantly faster after caffeine (55.99+/-3.64 s) than placebo (56.77+/-3.74 s) (P<0.05). Significantly higher blood lactates were recorded in caffeine compared to placebo after set 3 (13.1+/-1.2 vs 10.3+/-1.4 mmolxL(-1)) (P<0.05) and set 5 (13.1+/-1.3 vs 10.3+/-1.6 mmolxL(-1)) (P<0.01). There were no significant effects on simple or choice RT, although effect sizes suggested improved post-exercise times after caffeine. CONCLUSION: Caffeine ingestion 60 min prior to exercise can enhance repeated sprint running performance and is not detrimental to reaction times.
Labels:

Comments

Neal Jamison said…
How does the caffeine affect fat loss? I've always heard it helps. Just wonder what you think about that.

Thanks for the great site!
November 14, 2008 at 4:37 AM
Chris said…
Hi Neal

I've put up quite a bit on this blog about caffeine but I can't recall much about it and fat loss. At the bottom of the blog there is a search button. Search for caffeine and you'll find a fair bit - some positive and some negative.
November 15, 2008 at 5:49 AM
Anonymous said…
Hmmmm, I think coffee has some thermogenic effects that why it's been used as a fat loss supplement...
January 22, 2009 at 5:59 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dry January

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was taking part in "Dry January".  I didn't make a big song and dance about it, but I decided to go for a calendar month or so with no alcohol.  A few people have asked me about my experience, so here are a few points. Why take a break from drinking? Alcohol is an interesting topic.  As a drug it is widely accepted in society, central to so much of our socialising and leisure.  There seem to be lots of health benefits - so we are told - yet there are also a lot of problems in terms of health, relationships and lifestyle that come from drinking. Over a few years I'd begun to become aware and then concerned that I was drinking too much and too regularly.  I am in a busy and stressful job and sometimes a glass of wine after work to relax is really helpful.  But over time, one glass became two.  Two glasses became ....I might as well finish the bottle.  A habit got established....and was starting to get too e...
7 comments
Read more

So where have I been?

You will have noticed that this blog has been quiet for a while....  There are a few reasons for that, reasons that I thought I'd list here: WORK -  my day job has been incredibly busy and stressful this year. Working 10-14 hour days the last thing on my mind when I got home was putting something on here.  FACEBOOK/TWITTER - I suppose I've been using other channels to do some of what I used to do here. Quick fire posts pointing to interesting studies or news etc tend to get posted to Twitter (@chrishighcock) or to the Facebook Hillfit group http://www.facebook.com/groups/263083947097000/  REASSESSMENT - I've found myself less comfortable with some of the positions I've taken in the past. Sometimes I'm embarrassed by some of the things I've promoted. I'm not Paleo or low carb. I think Tabata and intervals are misunderstood and misapplied. I cannot really claim to be HIT.   I find myselfunable  honestly to post things on here and pretend that I am some sort o...
12 comments
Read more

Taking up space for a brief update

I've a couple of posts in draft that I will get up soon -  an update / reflection on Dry January and some thoughts on the scheduling benefits of short workouts if your life is busy.  Before that though, I am pointing to something else. However, I wanted to highlight something that is coming this weekend that I've been involved in.   Amber Rogers (Gokaleo and author of Taking Up Space ) has been pulling together a bundle of books from various authors with a common theme, one that I've been pushing here recently.   Keep it simple, avoid the hype, be patient, be consistent and flee the gurus.   I've talked before about how we get obsessed with pushing for more and more, when enough is OK.  I've given my view that so much of the health and fitness internet world is more like a gnostic religion than something that will benefit your life. There are other voices out there saying similar things and I'll be pointing to a bundle of books later this week ...
1 comment
Read more