The acute effects of a caffeine containing supplement on anaerobic power and subjective measurements of fatigue in recreationally active males

Abstract

The consumption of caffeinated beverages to enhance performance is common in young adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of a caffeine containing supplement on anaerobic power (AP) and subjective measurements (SM) of fatigue. Fourteen recreationally active college~aged males (mean value± standard deviation, age 21 ± 0.7 yrs., height: 178.5 ± 5.1 em, weight: 77.3 ± 9.6 kg, fat-free mass: 87.4 ± 4.8 kg) participated in a doubleMblind, placeboMcontrolled, crossover design study and ingested an energy drink or a non-caffeinated placebo prior to a bout of exercise. Participants reported to the lab for a total of four sessions consisting of two familiarization sessions and two experimental sessions separated by 48-72 hours. Anaerobic power was assessed using a counter-movement vertical jump (CMVJ) test and a non-motorized force treadmill sprint test during which the participants sprinted against 18% of their individual body mass for 25-seconds. Subjective measurements were obtained using a 5-point Likert scale. No statistically significant differences were observed between conditions for AP and CMVJ. The caffeine containing supplement significantly maintained SM of energy and fatigue compared to placebo. In conclusion, the current study suggests that consumption of a caffeine containing supplement did not affect AP but did help maintain feelings of energy and fatigue following high-intensity exercise.