Effects of Carbohydrate Combined with Caffeine on the Sports Performance of Basketball Players

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of combined carbohydrate (CH) and caffeine (CAF) supplementation on the sports performance of basketball players. A randomized crossover controlled experimental design was employed. A total of 32 collegiate-level basketball players were randomly assigned to one of the four groups: placebo (PLA), CH (30 g/h glucose solution) group, CAF (3 mg/kg body mass) group, and CH + CAF (combined intervention) group. Participants underwent a series of tests, including the countermovement jump (CMJ), 20-m sprint (20 m), change-of-direction and acceleration test (CODAT), Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo-Yo), free throw (FT) test, and straight-line dribbling speed (SLDS) test. Heart rate (HR) and blood lactic acid (BLA) levels were also monitored during the tests. The results revealed that, in the CMJ, 20 m, and CODAT tests, the CAF and CH + CAF groups outperformed the PLA group significantly (p < .05). In the Yo-Yo test, both the CH and CH + CAF groups demonstrated significantly better performance compared with the PLA group (p < .01). However, no significant differences were observed among the groups in the FT and SLDS tests (p > .05). Notably, the BLA levels in the CAF group were significantly higher than those in the PLA and CH groups 1-min postexercise (p < .05), and also significantly higher than in the CH + CAF group (p < .01). Three min after exercise, BLA levels in both the CH + CAF and PLA groups increased significantly (p < .05), with the CH + CAF group showing a greater increase compared with the CH group (p < .01). During exercise, the HR in the CH group was significantly lower than in the PLA group (p < .01), while the HR in the CAF group was significantly higher than in the PLA group (p < .01). Furthermore, the HR in the CH group was significantly lower compared with the CAF group (p < .01), and the HR in the CH + CAF group was significantly higher than in the CAF group (p < .01). After exercise, the HR in the CH group remained significantly lower than in the CAF group (p < .01). In conclusion, the combined supplementation of CH + CAF can effectively improve the overall sports performance of basketball players, with a certain recovery effect on physiological responses, but has no significant impact on professional skills. Overall, joint supplementation has not shown significant synergistic effects, but it can still be used as one of the nutritional strategies, with flexible selection of usage based on actual needs.