Caffeine increases peripheral fatigue in low- but not in high-performing cyclists

Pamela S Santos; Leandro C Felippe; Guilherme A Ferreira; Sara K Learsi; Patrícia G Couto; Romulo Bertuzzi; Gleber Pereira; Adriano E Lima-Silva

doi:10.1139/apnm-2019-0992

Caffeine increases peripheral fatigue in low- but not in high-performing cyclists

Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2020 Nov;45(11):1208-1215. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2019-0992. Epub 2020 May 14.

Authors

Pamela S Santos^{1

2}, Leandro C Felippe^{1

3}, Guilherme A Ferreira^{1

3}, Sara K Learsi^{1

3}, Patrícia G Couto⁴, Romulo Bertuzzi⁴, Gleber Pereira², Adriano E Lima-Silva^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Human Performance Research Group, Academic Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Technology - Parana (UTFPR), Neoville, Curitiba, PR 81310-900, Brazil.
² Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR 81531-980, Brazil.
³ Sport Science Research Group, Federal University of Pernambuco, Vitoria de Santo Antao, PE 55608-608, Brazil.
⁴ Endurance Sports Research Group (GEDAE-USP), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-030, Brazil.

PMID: 32407654
DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2019-0992

Abstract

The influence of cyclists' performance levels on caffeine-induced increases in neuromuscular fatigue after a 4-km cycling time trial (TT) was investigated. Nineteen cyclists performed a 4-km cycling TT 1 h after ingesting caffeine (5 mg·kg^-1) or placebo (cellulose). Changes from baseline to after exercise in voluntary activation (VA) and potentiated 1 Hz force twitch (Q_tw,pot) were used as markers of central and peripheral fatigue, respectively. Participants were classified as "high performing" (HP, n = 8) or "low performing" (LP, n = 8) in accordance with their performance in a placebo trial. Compared with placebo, caffeine increased the power, anaerobic mechanical power, and anaerobic work, reducing the time to complete the trial in both groups (p < 0.05). There was a group versus supplement and a group versus supplement versus trial interaction for Q_tw,pot, in which the postexercise reduction was greater after caffeine compared with placebo in the LP group (Q_tw,pot = -34% ± 17% vs. -21% ± 11%, p = 0.02) but not in the HP group (Q_tw,pot = -22% ± 8% vs. -23% ± 10%, p = 0.64). There was no effect of caffeine on VA, but there was a group versus trial interaction with lower postexercise values in the LP group than in the HP group (p = 0.03). Caffeine-induced improvement in 4-km cycling TT performance seems to come at the expense of greater locomotor muscle fatigue in LP but not in HP cyclists. Novelty Caffeine improves exercise performance at the expense of a greater end-exercise peripheral fatigue in low-performing athletes. Caffeine-induced improvement in exercise performance does not affect end-exercise peripheral fatigue in high-performing athletes. High-performing athletes seem to have augmented tolerance to central fatigue during a high-intensity time trial.

Keywords: aptitude physique; athlete performance; exercise performance; fatigue neuromusculaire; fonction neuromusculaire; neuromuscular fatigue; neuromuscular function; performance de l’athlète; performance physique; physical fitness; supplementation; supplémentation.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adult
Athletic Performance
Bicycling / physiology*
Caffeine / pharmacology*
Cross-Over Studies
Dietary Supplements
Double-Blind Method
Humans
Male
Muscle Fatigue / drug effects*
Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
Physical Endurance

Substances

Caffeine