Dose-Response Effect of Oral Caffeine Use on Aerobic Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Martins GL, Aparecido JM, Marquezi ML, Frientes CS, Miedes LR, Fornel MS, Fernandes T, Lancha AH
Nutrients · 0 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Meta-analysis (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
- Government
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Government
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Government
- National Council for Scientific and Technological Development
- Government
- Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education
- Government
- São Paulo Research Foundation
- Grants
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (#302706/2020-8); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (#312628/2023-4); Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (88887.357773/2019-00.); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (409629/2021-9); Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (23/14680-5); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (408899/2024‐7); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (437801/2018-7); Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (22/03138-2)
Based on 6 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2024-10-01 · Nutrients · vol. 18 · issue 10S · p. 1989
- Publisher
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Cited
- 0 citations
- References
- 0 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Muscle metabolism and nutrition · Cardiovascular and exercise physiology · Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment
- Keywords
- Meta-analysis, Aerobic exercise, Caffeine, Medicine, Physical therapy, Psychology, Internal medicine
- MeSH
- humans, caffeine, exercise, administration, oral, dose-response relationship, drug, adolescent, adult, middle aged, female, male, randomized controlled trials as topic, athletic performance, young adult, performance-enhancing substances
8 authors
From BR
- Gabriel Loureiro Martins
- Juliana Monique Lino AparecidoUniversidade Cidade de São Paulo
- Marcelo Luís MarqueziUniversidade Cidade de São Paulo
- Caroline Santana FrientesUniversidade Cidade de São Paulo
- Leonardo Ribeiro MiedesUniversidade Cidade de São Paulo
- Matheus Silva FornelUniversidade Cidade de São Paulo
Abstract
Background/Objective: Caffeine has demonstrated ergogenic effects across various doses (2-9 mg·kg-1). However, aerobic responses to caffeine vary substantially, with time-trial performance ranging from ~-3% to +16%. Given that higher doses may increase adverse effects without clear additional benefits, this review examined the effects of low (≤3 mg·kg-1), moderate (4-6 mg·kg-1), and high (>6 mg·kg-1) caffeine doses on time-trial performance. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Virtual Health Library databases. Eligible studies included healthy adults (18-59 years) acutely ingesting oral anhydrous caffeine before aerobic time-trial tests, with performance outcomes measured exclusively as time-to-completion variables. Data were pooled using standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals under random-effects models, and risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Results: Forty-eight studies (689 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Both low and moderate caffeine doses significantly reduced time-trial completion time relative to placebo. Low doses produced a standardized mean difference of -0.27 (95% CI: -0.44 to -0.11; p = 0.001), whereas moderate doses resulted in an SMD of -0.52 (95% CI: -0.77 to -0.28; p 6 mg·kg-1) and reporting time-to-completion outcomes met the inclusion criteria. Subgroup analyses demonstrated similar ergogenic effects in both trained and highly trained individuals consuming moderate caffeine doses. Conclusions: This is the first meta-analysis specifically focused on aerobic time-trial performance to suggest that pre-exercise ingestion of low caffeine doses (1.3-3 mg·kg-1) may enhance endurance performance by reducing time-trial completion time. Notably, the use of moderate caffeine doses (4-6 mg·kg-1) appears to produce a more consistent ergogenic effect.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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