Abstract
Objective
The aim was to quantify the proportion of the literature on caffeine supplementation that reports habitual caffeine consumption, and determine the influence of habitual consumption on the acute exercise response to caffeine supplementation, using a systematic review and meta-analytic approach.
Methods
Three databases were searched, and articles screened according to inclusion/exclusion criteria. Three-level meta-analyses and meta-regression models were used to investigate the influence of habitual caffeine consumption on caffeine’s overall ergogenic effect and within different exercise types (endurance, power, strength), in men and women, and in trained and untrained individuals. Sub-analyses were performed according to the following: acute relative dose (< 3, 3–6, > 6 mg/kg body mass [BM]); whether the acute caffeine dose provided was lower or higher than the mean daily caffeine dose; and the caffeine withdrawal period prior to the intervention (< 24, 24–48, > 48 h).
Results
Sixty caffeine studies included sufficient information on habitual consumption to be included in the meta-analysis. A positive overall effect of caffeine was shown in comparison to placebo (standard mean difference [SMD] = 0.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20–0.30; p < 0.001) with no influence of relative habitual caffeine consumption (p = 0.59). Subgroup analyses showed a significant ergogenic effect when the caffeine dose was < 3 mg/kg BM (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI 0.12–0.40; p = 0.003) and 3–6 mg/kg BM (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI 0.21–0.32; p < 0.0001), but not > 6 mg/kg BM (SMD = 0.11, 95% CI − 0.07 to 0.30; p = 0.23); when the dose was both higher (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI 0.20–0.31; p < 0.001) and lower (SMD = 0.21, 95% CI 0.06–0.36; p = 0.006) than the habitual caffeine dose; and when withdrawal was < 24 h, 24–48 h, and > 48 h. Caffeine was effective for endurance, power, and strength exercise, with no influence (all p ≥ 0.23) of relative habitual caffeine consumption within exercise types. Habitual caffeine consumption did not modify the ergogenic effect of caffeine in male, female, trained or untrained individuals.
Conclusion
Habitual caffeine consumption does not appear to influence the acute ergogenic effect of caffeine.
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No specific funding was received for writing this review. Felipe Marticorena (2019/20614-0; 2021/05847-8), Beatriz Grecco (2020/02391-0), Gabriel Barreto (2020/12036-3), and Bryan Saunders (2016/50438-0; 2021/06836-0) have been financially supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo. Bryan Saunders has received a grant from Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (2020.1.362.5.2).
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Several of the authors (GB, BS) have previously received caffeine supplements at no cost from a national supplement company (Farmácia Analítica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) for work unrelated to the current article. Farmácia Analítica have not had any input (financial, intellectual, or otherwise) into this review. The remaining authors report no conflict of interest.
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BS is responsible for the conception of the work. FM performed the searches. AC, FM, BG, and GB performed the screening, and AC, FM, and BG performed the data extraction. GB performed the data analysis. AC and BS are responsible for the initial writing of the manuscript, and all authors were involved in the editing process. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
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Carvalho, A., Marticorena, F.M., Grecco, B.H. et al. Can I Have My Coffee and Drink It? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis to Determine Whether Habitual Caffeine Consumption Affects the Ergogenic Effect of Caffeine. Sports Med 52, 2209–2220 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01685-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01685-0