Effect of caffeine on maximal strength and power in élite male athletes

• Published in: British journal of sports medicine Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 276 - 280
• Main Authors: Jacobson, B H, Weber, M D, Claypool, L, Hunt, L E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine 01-12-1992; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adult; Caffeine - pharmacology; Double-Blind Method; Humans; Knee - physiology; Male; Muscle Contraction - drug effects; Muscle Contraction - physiology; Muscles - physiology; Physical Endurance - drug effects; Physical Endurance - physiology; Sports; United States; United States
• ISSN: 0306-3674; 1473-0480
• DOI: 10.1136/bjsm.26.4.276

Computerized testing of 20 élite male athletes was performed to determine the effect of 7 mg kg-1 caffeine on strength and power of the knee extensors and flexors. Subjects received counterbalanced administrations of either caffeine or a placebo on two separate occasions. Peak torque (T) was measured for knee extension (ET) and flexion (FT) at angular velocities of 30 degrees, 150 degrees and 300 degrees s-1. Additionally, performance for the first 125 ms (TAE) and power (W) were recorded during 300 degrees s-1. Testing sessions were held 1 week apart, at which time the placebo/caffeine administration was reversed. A 2 x 2 repeated measures analysis of variance supplemented with a Neuman-Keuls post hoc test showed the following--significant caffeine-related increases (P < 0.05) for ET at 30 degrees s-1, ET at 300 degrees s-1, and ETAE, and EW at 300 degrees s-1. Dependent t-tests performed for pre- to post-test means showed significant changes for the caffeine group in ET at 30 degrees s-1, FT at 30 degrees s-1, FT at 150 degrees s-1, ET at 300 degrees s-1, FT at 300 degrees s-1, E and FTAE, and EW at 300 degrees s-1. No significant effects were found for the placebo trial in any variable. It was concluded that caffeine can favourably affect some strength parameters in highly resistance-trained males. However, differences in subject fibre type, motivation and caffeine sensitivity need to be elucidated.