The Effects of Caffeine Gum Administration on Reaction Time and Lower Body Pain During Cycling to Exhaustion
Year: 2008
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Caffeine is the most widely consumed drug in the world.In various forms, it has been shown to elicit some advantageous effects when ingested prior to exercise.Caffeine has been widely used in the liquid or capsule form for decades now; however caffeine in the chewing gum form is a much more recent development and hence has less established research on it.The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of caffeinated chewing gum on lower body pain and reaction time during exercise.Eight healthy, physically active male participants between 18 and 32 years of age were recruited to participate.Participants reported to the laboratory on five occasions.On the first visit, subjects underwent a graded exercise test on an Excalibur 1300W electronically braked cycle ergometer until volitional fatigue at which time expired air samples were analyzed for oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations via an automated open circuit system to determine maximal oxygen consumption.The two highest 30-second oxygen consumption values were averaged to determine maximal oxygen consumption.Over the next four visits, 200 milligrams of caffeine chewing gum or placebo were administered in a randomized, counterbalanced, double blind manner at 35 minutes before exercise, 5 minutes before exercise, and 10 minutes following the initiation of exercise.Participants cycled on an Excalibur electronically braked cycle ergometer at 85% capacity as iv determined by expired air samples collected every 10 minutes of exercise which were analyzed for oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations via an automated open circuit system (PARVO, Metabolic Cart, Sandy, Utah).Participants cycled until volitional fatigue.Lower body pain measurements were obtained every 10 minutes during exercise via a 1-10 pain scale.Reaction time was measured at three time points via a hand held psychomotor vigilance test.For statistics, a Mixed Model Analysis was run.There was no statistical significance in the reduction of reaction time with caffeine administration.Furthermore, there was not a significant decrease in pain levels with caffeine ingestion.With a larger sample size, it appears that there may have been a decrease in reaction time when caffeine is administered fifteen minutes into exercise.v DEDICATION This study is dedicated to the brave Men and Women of The United States Armed Forces who have selflessly served our country so that we can all live a life of freedom.To those who are still with us and to those who have passed, we are forever indebted to you.Thank you for your courage, and for truly making America the land of the free.
Author: Andrea Jankowski-Wilkinson
Institution: University of Akron
Language: English
Topic: Coffee research and impacts
Subfield: Pharmacology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: University of Akron
OpenAlex ID: W2597391637