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Co-ingestion of caffeine and carbohydrate after meal does not improve performance at high-intensity intermittent sprints with short recovery times

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Abstract

Purpose

To determine the effects of co-ingesting caffeine (CAF) and carbohydrate (CHO) on high-intensity intermittent sprints (HIS) performance and physiological responses.

Methods

Twelve active males underwent 4 interventions at least 7 days apart in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced trial. A meal contained 65 % CHO was provided 2 h before the HIS test. Participants ingested the placebo (PLA) or CAF (6 mg kg−1 BW) 1 h before taking an HIS test, and ingested a PLA or CHO solution (0.8 g kg−1 BW) before undergoing the testing protocol. The HIS protocol comprised ten sets of 5 × 4-s sprints on a cycle ergometer with a 2-min recovery between each set.

Results

There was no significant difference between peak power output and mean power output between trials (p > 0.05). Compared with PLA, CAF + CHO resulted in a 5.2 % reduction in total work, corresponding to a 24.7–25.7 % increase in fatigue at the end stage of the HIS. The administration of CAF + CHO supplementation also resulted in an 11.1 % increase in blood lactate, and elevated blood glucose concentrations throughout HIS testing compared with PLA (p < 0.05). Cortisol concentrations also increased with CAF + CHO intake compared with PLA; however, there was no significant effect of CAF + CHO supplementation on testosterone concentrations.

Conclusion

Co-ingestion of CAF and CHO did not improve high-intensity sprint cycling performance or reduce fatigue in active males. Moreover, combined CAF and CHO supplementation might facilitate catabolism during prolonged high-intensity intermittent exercise.

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Abbreviations

CAF:

Caffeine

CHO:

Carbohydrate

CV:

Coefficient of variation

FI:

Fatigue index

HIS:

High-intensity intermittent sprints

HR:

Heart rate

ICC:

Intraclass correlation coefficients

MPO:

Mean power output

PLA:

Placebo

PPO:

Peak power output

RPE:

Rating of perceived exertion

TW:

Total work

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Acknowledgments

We thank all the participants and research assistants for their efforts in the study. We also thank Dr. Todd A. Astorino for his expert consultation on nutrition. This study was supported by a research grant from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (NSC 101–2410-H-110–085). This work was also particularly supported by “Aim for the Top University Plan” of the National Sun Yat-sen University, National Taiwan Normal University, and Ministry of Education, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Education Section of General Education, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Chia-Lun Lee

  2. Department of Athletic Performance, National Taiwan Normal University, No. 88, Sec. 4, Ting-Zhou Rd., Wen-shan District, Taipei, 116, Taiwan

    Ching-Feng Cheng & Chia-Jung Lee

  3. Department of Physical Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yu-Hsuan Kuo

  4. Department of Sports Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Wen-Dien Chang

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  1. Chia-Lun Lee
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  2. Ching-Feng Cheng
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  3. Chia-Jung Lee
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Correspondence to Ching-Feng Cheng.

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Communicated by Michael Lindinger.

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Lee, CL., Cheng, CF., Lee, CJ. et al. Co-ingestion of caffeine and carbohydrate after meal does not improve performance at high-intensity intermittent sprints with short recovery times. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 1533–1543 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2888-8

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