What Was the Experiment?
In a caffeine-fueled adventure, researchers set out to discover if caffeine could turn female athletes into morning superstars. They explored how different doses of caffeine (3 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg of body weight) affected maximal physical performance and side effects when consumed in the morning versus the evening.
Who Were the Participants?
Fifteen young female handball players, averaging 18 years old, who typically consumed low levels of caffeine and were in good health, took on this challenge.
How Was the Study Conducted?
This was a randomized crossover study where each athlete participated in six experimental sessions. They consumed either a placebo or one of two caffeine doses in the morning (8:00 a.m.) or evening (6:00 p.m.). After each session, there was a 3-day washout period before switching interventions. Performance was measured 60 minutes post-consumption through agility tests, countermovement jumps, repeated sprint ability, and perceived exertion ratings. Side effects like headaches, insomnia, anxiety, increased heart rate, and gastrointestinal issues were also tracked.What Were the Results?
- Morning Magic: In the morning sessions, both caffeine doses improved performance. The higher dose (6 mg/kg) led to greater improvements: countermovement jump performance increased by 3.8% compared to 2.5% with the lower dose (3 mg/kg), and repeated sprint ability improved by 3.5% versus 1.1%. Agility only improved with the higher dose (+4.5%).
- Evening Fizzle: In the evening, neither dose enhanced performance. The higher dose also brought more side effects like insomnia and stomach troubles.
- Perceived Exertion: Interestingly, neither dose affected how hard the athletes felt they were working, regardless of the time of day.
Anything Else?
The study’s small sample size and focus on young female athletes limit its applicability to other groups. So while caffeine might be a morning hero for these athletes, its powers may not extend universally across all populations.
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