Effects of Gender Difference and Caffeine Supplementation on Anaerobic Muscle Performance

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Human Physiology
• Nutritional Biochemistry

Background:

• Caffeine is a widely used ergogenic aid in sports.
• Its effects on muscle performance and endurance, particularly concerning gender differences, require further investigation.
• Understanding caffeine's impact on maximal and submaximal contractions is crucial for optimizing athletic performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the influence of gender and caffeine supplementation on maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) and time to exhaustion (Tlim).
• To assess the ergogenic effects of a 6 mg/kg caffeine dose on muscle power and endurance.
• To determine if caffeine's performance-enhancing effects exhibit a gender-specific pattern.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and counter-balanced study design.
• 10 male and 10 female elite collegiate athletes participated.
• Subjects ingested either 6 mg/kg caffeine or a placebo; MVIC and Tlim were measured post-ingestion.

Main Results:

• Caffeine supplementation significantly increased MVIC by 5.9% and Tlim by 15.5% compared to placebo (p<0.05).
• No significant effect of caffeine was observed on the fatigue index (FI%).
• No significant interaction effect between gender and caffeine supplementation was found for any measured variable.

Conclusions:

• Caffeine supplementation at 6 mg/kg enhances muscle power (MVIC) and muscle endurance (Tlim) in elite athletes.
• The ergogenic benefits of caffeine on muscle performance are not influenced by gender.
• This study supports caffeine as an effective ergogenic aid for both male and female athletes seeking to improve power and endurance.