Acute ingestion of caffeinated chewing gum reduces fatigue index and improves 400-meter performance in trained sprinters: a double-blind crossover trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether caffeinated chewing gum could reduce fatigue and improve 400-meter sprint performance in trained sprinters.
Results Summary
Caffeine gum significantly reduced the fatigue index and improved the ability to maintain speed, particularly in the final 300 to 400 meters, while also enhancing overall 400-meter sprint performance compared to placebo.
Population
Trained sprinters (age 20.9 ± 1.0 years, training age 7.9 ± 1.0 years).
Effective Dosage
3 mg/kg of caffeine administered via chewing gum for 10 minutes.
Duration
Single administration prior to testing.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
caffeinated chewing gum | decrease | fatigue index | trained sprinters | CAF: 8.1 ± 2.5%; PL: 9.6 ± 4.8% | significantly reduced | #1 |
caffeine gum supplementation prior to exercise | increase | capacity to maintain speed, particularly in the final 300 to 400 meters | trained sprinters | - | increased | #2 |
caffeine gum supplementation prior to exercise | increase | 400-meter sprint performance | trained sprinters | - | enhancing | #3 |
BACKGROUND: This study investigated the effects of caffeinated chewing gum on fatigue index and 400-meter performance in trained sprinters. METHODS: Nineteen participants (age: 20.9 ± 1.0 years; height: 175.6 ± 4.9 cm; mass: 66.5 ± 5.6 kg; training age: 7.9 ± 1.0 years) were randomly assigned to either a caffeine trial (CAF) or a placebo trial (PL) using a double-blind, randomized crossover design. The participants in the CAF trial chewed a gum containing 3 mg/kg of caffeine for a period of 10 minutes, while those in the PL trial chewed a gum containing a placebo with no caffeine. Following a 15-minute period of rest, the fatigue index was tested by six maximal 35-meter sprints with a 10-second rest between efforts. After this, at least 30 minutes of rest was permitted, during which time the participants engaged in brief warm-up activities prior to the commencement of the 400-meter sprint test. Saliva samples were collected before chewing gum, before the fatigue test and before 400-meters sprinting. RESULTS: The fatigue index was significantly lower in the CAF trial compared to the PL trial (CAF: 8.1 ± 2.5%; PL: 9.6 ± 4.8%; CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that caffeine gum supplementation prior to exercise significantly reduced the fatigue index and increased the capacity to maintain speed, particularly in the final 300 to 400 meters, as well as enhancing 400-meter sprint performance.