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The Influence of Caffeine Supplementation on Resistance Exercise: A Review.

Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
January 1, 2019
Jozo Grgic et al. (5 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Extracted Claims (11)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
caffeine supplementation
increase
maximal strength
-
-
increases
#1
caffeine supplementation
increase
muscular endurance
-
-
increases
#2
caffeine supplementation
increase
power
-
-
enhanced
#3
caffeine supplementation
decrease
rating of perceived exertion (RPE)
-
-
decreases
#4
caffeine ingestion
no change
pain perception
-
-
did not affect
#5
caffeine ingestion
no change
exercise-induced muscle damage
-
-
did not affect
#6
caffeine ingestion
decrease
perceived resistance exercise-induced delayed-onset muscle soreness
-
-
might reduce
#7
caffeine ingestion
increase
production of testosterone
-
-
may lead to greater increases
#8
caffeine ingestion
increase
production of cortisol
-
-
may lead to greater increases
#9
caffeine ingestion
increase
blood pressure (primarily systolic)
individuals with high blood pressure
-
can lead to acute increases
#10
coffee
increase
resistance exercise performance
-
-
might be at least equally ergogenic
#11
Abstract

This paper aims to critically evaluate and thoroughly discuss the evidence on the topic of caffeine supplementation when performing resistance exercise, as well as provide practical guidelines for the ingestion of caffeine prior to resistance exercise. Based on the current evidence, it seems that caffeine increases both maximal strength and muscular endurance. Furthermore, power appears to be enhanced with caffeine supplementation, although this effect might, to a certain extent, be caffeine dose- and external load-dependent. A reduction in rating of perceived exertion (RPE) might contribute to the performance-enhancing effects of caffeine supplementation as some studies have observed decreases in RPE coupled with increases in performance following caffeine ingestion. However, the same does not seem to be the case for pain perception as there is evidence showing acute increases in resistance exercise performance without any significant effects of caffeine ingestion on pain perception. Some studies have reported that caffeine ingestion did not affect exercise-induced muscle damage, but that it might reduce perceived resistance exercise-induced delayed-onset muscle soreness; however, this needs to be explored further. There is some evidence that caffeine ingestion, compared with a placebo, may lead to greater increases in the production of testosterone and cortisol following resistance exercise. However, given that the acute changes in hormone levels seem to be weakly correlated with hallmark adaptations to resistance exercise, such as hypertrophy and increased muscular strength, these findings are likely of questionable practical significance. Although not without contrasting findings, the available evidence suggests that caffeine ingestion can lead to acute increases in blood pressure (primarily systolic), and thus caution is needed regarding caffeine supplementation among individuals with high blood pressure. In the vast majority of studies, caffeine was administered in capsule or powder forms, and therefore the effects of alternative forms of caffeine, such as chewing gums or mouth rinses, on resistance exercise performance remain unclear. The emerging evidence suggests that coffee might be at least equally ergogenic as caffeine alone when the caffeine dose is matched. Doses in the range of 3-9 mg·kg

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Athletic PerformanceBlood PressureCaffeineDietary SupplementsDose-Response Relationship, DrugHumansMuscle StrengthMyalgiaPain PerceptionPerformance-Enhancing SubstancesPhysical EnduranceResistance Training
Study Links
Citation Metrics
Total Citations108
Citations/Year18.0
Relative Citation Ratio10.20
NIH Percentile97.9%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.95
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