Energy Drink Doses of Caffeine and Taurine Have a Null or Negative Effect on Sprint Performance.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the effects of caffeine and taurine coingestion on repeat-sprint cycling performance and associated physiological and perceptual responses.
Results Summary
The study found that caffeine and taurine supplementation did not improve repeat-sprint cycling performance and appeared to increase fatigue in later sprints. It also increased heart rate and glycolytic metabolic by-products but had no effect on perceived exertion.
Population
11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg)
Effective Dosage
80 mg caffeine and 1 g taurine, administered once
Duration
Single session (10 × 6-second sprints with 24-second rest intervals)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
caffeine (80 mg) and taurine (1 g) | no change | peak power | 11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg) | trivial | likely, trivial differences | #1 |
caffeine (80 mg) and taurine (1 g) | no change | intersprint fatigue index | 11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg) | trivial | unclear, trivial | #2 |
caffeine (80 mg) and taurine (1 g) | increase | intrasprint fatigue | 11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg) | likely, small | greater | #3 |
caffeine (80 mg) and taurine (1 g) | increase | heart rate (HR) | 11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg) | effect size = 0.94 | likely large effect | #4 |
caffeine (80 mg) and taurine (1 g) | increase | blood lactate concentration (B[la]) | 11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg) | likely small | increases | #5 |
caffeine (80 mg) and taurine (1 g) | increase | blood lactate concentration (B[la]) | 11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg) | possibly small | increases | #6 |
caffeine (80 mg) and taurine (1 g) | no change | rating of perceived exertion (RPE) | 11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg) | unclear, trivial | no effect | #7 |
caffeine and taurine at doses equivalent to commercial energy drinks | no change | repeat-sprint cycling performance | 11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg) | - | did not improve | #8 |
caffeine and taurine at doses equivalent to commercial energy drinks | increase | fatigue within selected sprints | 11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg) | - | seemed to induce greater fatigue | #9 |
Jeffries, O, Hill, J, Patterson, SD, and Waldron, M. Energy drink doses of caffeine and taurine have a null or negative effect on sprint performance. J Strength Cond Res 34(12): 3475-3481, 2020-This study investigated the effects of caffeine and taurine coingestion on repeat-sprint cycling performance and associated physiological and perceptual responses. In a double-blind, cross-over, repeated measures study, 11 male subjects (age 21 ± 2 years; stature 178 ± 7 cm; body mass 80 ± 13 kg) completed 10 × 6-second sprints on a cycle ergometer, each separated by 24 seconds, one hour after ingesting: caffeine (80 mg) and taurine (1 g), equivalent to the amount observed in popular commercial energy drinks, or placebo (maltodextrin ∼1 g) in a gelatine capsule. Performance was measured on a cycle ergometer, whereas blood lactate concentration (B[la]), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and heart rate (HR) were measured at baseline (pre-exercise) and after sprints 5 and 10. Magnitude-based inferences revealed likely, trivial differences in peak power and unclear, trivial intersprint fatigue index after ingestion of the caffeine and taurine supplement. Intrasprint fatigue was greater in the caffeine and taurine condition at sprint 10 (likely, small) and possibly smaller in sprints 6-9. The caffeine and taurine supplement had a likely large effect on HR at baseline (effect size = 0.94) and increases in B[la] after sprints 5 (likely small) and 10 (possibly small). There was no effect of the supplement on RPE (unclear, trivial). Administration of caffeine and taurine at doses equivalent to commercial energy drinks did not improve repeat-sprint cycling performance and seemed to induce greater fatigue within selected sprints, particularly at the end of the trial. This undesirable performance effect occurs in parallel with increased HR and glycolytic metabolic bi-products.