Two Levels of Caffeine Ingestion on Blood Lactate and Free Fatty Acid Responses during Incremental Exercise
Abstract
Caffeine has been used as an ergogenic aid by long distance runners and cyclists. This research was conducted to determine the effects of two doses of caffeine on the lactate threshold and to examine, using respiratory data, the effects on substrate utilization during incremental cycle ergometry. Ten male subjects were used and were selected on the basis of their lack of caffeine consumed in their general diet. The incremental test consisted of cycling at 50 rpm at a given work rate for one minute after which the rate was increased by 30 kpm · mvn−1 and was then held constant for another minute until exhaustion. Heart rate values during the caffeine trials were higher than the control values (p <.05) for all work loads. Blood lactate levels were lower (p <.05) for both caffeine trials at workloads below 1800 kpm · min−1 while free fatty acid levels increased (p <.05) for all workloads during caffeine usage. The results suggest that both of the doses of caffeine were effective in increasing the amount of blood FFA and thus affected substrate utilization. Work time to exhaustion was also increased. This suggests that caffeine in high doses, could be used as an ergogenic aid during incremental exercise.
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Investigations reporting the effect of caffeine on heart rate during exercise are equivocal, with some indicating increases, decreases, and no effect.
“Investigations reporting the effect of caffeine on heart rate during exercise are equivocal, with some indicating increases [ 5 - 9 ], decreases [ 10 - 12 ], and no effect [ 13 - 28 ]”
From Low doses of caffeine reduce heart rate during submaximal cycle ergometry (2007) · cites this paper as [7]
The study's results are in direct contrast to several studies that have found higher heart rates with caffeine during exercise.
“Our results are also in direct contrast to several studies which have found higher heart rates with caffeine during exercise.”
From Low doses of caffeine reduce heart rate during submaximal cycle ergometry (2007) · cites this paper as [7]
Caffeine can alter HR responses across various exercise intensities, but the results are inconclusive.
“Caffeine can alter HR responses across various exercise intensities (Bell et al. 1998; McNaughton 1987; Sung et al. 1995), but the results are inconclusive.”
From Effects of caffeine and acute exercise on the validity of a submaximal cycle ergometer test: a randomised, placebo-controlled crossover study (2026) · cites this paper as McNaughton 1987
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Kofeiinin vaikutus lyhytkestoiseen- ja maksimivoimaa vaativaan urheilusuoritukseen
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- Authors
- Mcnaughton, L.
- Corresponding author
- Mcnaughton, Lars
- ORCID
- Mcnaughton, Lars
- Venue
- Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1987-09
- Volume
- 58
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 255-259
- ISSN
- 0034-5377 (ISSN-L)
- 0270-1367
- 2168-3824
- OpenAlex
- W2043044404
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Coffee research and impacts
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Keywords
- caffeine, ergogenic aids, blood lactate, free fatty acids, lactate threshold, substrate utilization, incremental exercise, cycle ergometry, time to exhaustion, heart rate, endurance exercise
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