The Influence of Caffeine and Carbohydrate Coingestion on Simulated Soccer Performance

Jul 6, 2010International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism

How caffeine and carbohydrates together affect soccer performance in simulations

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Abstract

Ingestion of a carbohydrate solution with 3.7 mg/kg body mass of caffeine improved sprinting performance and explosive leg power during prolonged soccer activity.

Mean 15-m sprint times were faster when caffeine was added, with CAF averaging 2.48 seconds compared to 2.59 seconds for CON.
Explosive leg power, measured by countermovement jump height, was greater with caffeine (52.9 cm) than with the carbohydrate-only solution (51.7 cm).
Participants reported enhanced feelings of pleasure during the CAF trial.
No significant differences were observed in passing skill, perceived exertion, blood lactate levels, or body mass loss between the two trials.
Caffeine may help mitigate the decline in performance typically associated with fatigue during extended exercise.

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Carbohydrate and caffeine are known to independently improve certain aspects of athletic performance. However, less is understood about physiological and performance outcomes when these compounds are coingested in a rehydration and carbohydrate-replacement strategy. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of adding a moderate dose of caffeine to a carbohydrate solution during prolonged soccer activity. Fifteen male soccer players performed two 90-min intermittent shuttle-running trials. They ingested a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution (CON) providing a total of 1.8 g/kg body mass (BM) of carbohydrate or a similar solution with added caffeine (CAF; 3.7 mg/kg BM). Solutions were ingested 1 hr before exercise and every 15 min during the protocol. Soccer passing skill and countermovement-jump height (CMJ) were quantified before exercise and regularly during exercise. Sprinting performance, heart rate, blood lactate concentration (La) and the subjective experiences of participants were measured routinely. Mean 15-m sprint time was faster during CAF (p = .04); over the final 15 min of exercise mean sprint times were CAF 2.48 +/- 0.15 s vs. CON 2.59 +/- 0.2 s. Explosive leg power (CMJ) was improved during CAF (52.9 +/- 5.8 vs. CON 51.7 +/- 5.7 cm, p = .03). Heart rate was elevated throughout CAF, and ratings of pleasure were significantly enhanced. There were no significant differences in passing skill, rating of perceived exertion, La, or body-mass losses between trials. The addition of caffeine to the carbohydrate-electrolyte solution improved sprinting performance, countermovement jumping, and the subjective experiences of players. Caffeine appeared to offset the fatigue-induced decline in self-selected components of performance.

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The Influence of Caffeine and Carbohydrate Coingestion on Simulated Soccer Performance

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