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Caffeine Intake for Human Health and Exercise Performance
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Caffeine Intake for Human Health and Exercise Performance

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Sports Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 7513

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ildus Ahmetov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 5AF, UK
Interests: nutrigenetics; sports nutrition; sports genomics and epigenomics; exercise physiology; behavioural genetics; sports anthropology; genetics of obesity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research on coffee and caffeine intake has garnered significant attention due to its widespread consumption and potential health benefits, particularly in the context of exercise performance and overall human health. Coffee, one of the most popular beverages globally, contains caffeine, a stimulant known to enhance cognitive function, alertness, and physical performance. Investigating the relationship between caffeine intake and exercise performance is essential as caffeine has been shown to improve physical performance, particularly in sports requiring endurance, strength, and power. The impact of coffee and caffeine consumption on metabolism, the cardiovascular system, and mental health is another area of interest. Caffeine influences neurotransmitter activity, such as the release of dopamine and norepinephrine, which can improve mood, focus, and cognitive performance. Furthermore, higher plasma caffeine concentrations have been reported to be associated with a lower whole-body fat mass and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. However, the effects of caffeine on physical performance and health can vary among individuals, influenced by genetic factors. These findings underscore the importance of personalized approaches in evaluating caffeine intake, particularly for athletes who use caffeine supplements to enhance performance.

This Special Issue aims to explore the relationship between caffeine intake and its impact on human health and exercise performance. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: the effects of caffeine intake on mental health, disease risk, and physical performance; the association of genetic polymorphisms with caffeine intake efficiency; and the use of Mendelian randomization to evaluate the causal relationship between caffeine intake and various phenotypes.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Ildus Ahmetov
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • caffeine
  • exercise
  • performance
  • sports
  • athletes
  • supplements
  • mental health
  • nutrigenetics
  • polymorphism

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 2872 KiB  
Article
Caffeine Combined with Excitatory Neuromodulation Based on Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Enhances Performance in a Time-Trial CrossFit® Workout: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study
by Alberto Souza Sá Filho, Thiago Albernaz-Silva, Pedro Augusto Inacio, Vicente Aprigliano, Iransé Oliveira-Silva, Gaspar R. Chiappa, Rodolfo P. Vieira, Antônio Sérgio Nakao de Aguiar, Raphael Martins Cunha, James Oluwagbamigbe Fajemiroye and Marcelo Magalhães Sales
Nutrients 2025, 17(7), 1261; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071261 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1011
Abstract
Background: Caffeine (CAF) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are ergogenic strategies with potential benefits for performance, yet their combined effects remain underexplored, particularly in high-intensity functional training contexts such as CrossFit®. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study aimed to investigate [...] Read more.
Background: Caffeine (CAF) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are ergogenic strategies with potential benefits for performance, yet their combined effects remain underexplored, particularly in high-intensity functional training contexts such as CrossFit®. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study aimed to investigate the impact of tDCS, with and without CAF, on performance time in the Clean & Jerk (C&J) during the benchmark WOD GRACE among competitive CrossFit® athletes. Secondarily, we aimed to compare the RPE across the different experimental conditions, as well as to establish the relationship between personal record (PR) values adjusted for body mass and the execution time of the WOD GRACE, considering different athletes’ classification levels (RX Elite and RX Intermediate). Methods: Twenty participants completed four experimental conditions: CAF ingestion (400 mg) combined with anodal tDCS (CAF + a-tDCS), CAF with Sham tDCS (CAF + Sham-tDCS), placebo (PLA) with a-tDCS (PLA + a-tDCS), and PLA with Sham tDCS (PLA + Sham-tDCS). Results: The results indicated that the combination of CAF + a-tDCS significantly improved performance, reducing execution time (205.5 ± 58.0 s) compared to CAF + Sham-tDCS (218.3 ± 61.2 s; p = 0.034), PLA + a-tDCS (231.7 ± 64.1 s; p = 0.012), and PLA + Sham-tDCS (240.9 ± 66.4 s; p = 0.002). However, no significant differences were observed between CAF + Sham-tDCS and PLA + a-tDCS (p = 0.690), CAF + Sham-tDCS and PLA + Sham-tDCS (p = 0.352), or PLA + a-tDCS and PLA + Sham-tDCS (p = 0.595). Conclusions: The responder analysis revealed that 45% of participants improved performance with isolated tDCS, while 60% responded positively to CAF. No significant differences were found in RPE scores among conditions (p = 0.145). Additionally, no correlations were identified between PR values adjusted for body mass and execution time in both RX Elite (r = 0.265; p = 0.526) and RX Intermediate (r = 0.049; p = 0.901) groups, nor between training experience and performance across interventions. These findings suggest that tDCS, when combined with CAF, may serve as an effective ergogenic aid for improving performance in high-intensity functional training, whereas its isolated use does not yield meaningful benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Caffeine Intake for Human Health and Exercise Performance)
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12 pages, 403 KiB  
Article
Positive and Negative Expectations Associated with Coffee and Energy Drinks: Implications for Placebo–Nocebo Research in Sports
by Angéla Somogyi, Merve Uca, Celal Bulgay, Ernest Yeboah Acheampong, Ricardo de la Vega, Roberto Ruíz-Barquín and Attila Szabo
Nutrients 2025, 17(4), 628; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17040628 - 10 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1578
Abstract
Background: Nutritional expectations have been shown to influence exercise performance via placebo and nocebo effects. The present study aimed to evaluate performance-enhancement expectations for coffee and energy drinks using the Stanford Expectations of Treatment Scale. Methods: A total of 402 participants (48.5% male) [...] Read more.
Background: Nutritional expectations have been shown to influence exercise performance via placebo and nocebo effects. The present study aimed to evaluate performance-enhancement expectations for coffee and energy drinks using the Stanford Expectations of Treatment Scale. Methods: A total of 402 participants (48.5% male) with an average exercise history of 4.53 years, engaging in average physical activity 3.91 times per week, were included in the study. Data collection was conducted through the Qualtrics platform. Results: Participants exhibited significantly higher positive expectations for coffee compared to energy drinks (p = 0.002), whereas negative expectations were more pronounced for energy drinks than for coffee (p < 0.001). Males and individuals engaging in anaerobic exercise expressed more positive expectations for energy drinks than females and those participating in aerobic or mixed exercise regimens. Additionally, high-frequency exercisers (≥4 sessions per week) reported greater positive expectations for both beverages and fewer negative expectations for coffee than low-frequency exercisers (≤3 sessions per week). Correlational analyses revealed weak but significant associations between expectations and variables such as exercise history, frequency, intensity, and age. Conclusions: The findings suggest that coffee is perceived as a more effective performance enhancer and exhibits greater placebo-inducing potential than energy drinks, which may elicit stronger nocebo effects. These group-specific perceptions should be considered by trainers, coaches, and researchers when addressing placebo–nocebo mechanisms in the context of sports and exercise. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Caffeine Intake for Human Health and Exercise Performance)
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15 pages, 1413 KiB  
Article
Effects of Caffeine Intake Combined with Self-Selected Music During Warm-Up on Anaerobic Performance: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover Study
by Bopeng Qiu, Ziyu Wang, Yinkai Zhang, Yusong Cui, Penglin Diao, Kaiji Liu, Juan Del Coso and Chang Liu
Nutrients 2025, 17(2), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17020351 - 19 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2356
Abstract
Background: Both listening to music during warm-up and consuming caffeine before exercise have been independently shown to enhance athletic performance. However, the potential synergistic effects of combining these strategies remain largely unexplored. To date, only two studies have reported additional benefits to combining [...] Read more.
Background: Both listening to music during warm-up and consuming caffeine before exercise have been independently shown to enhance athletic performance. However, the potential synergistic effects of combining these strategies remain largely unexplored. To date, only two studies have reported additional benefits to combining music during warm-up with a caffeine dose of 3 mg/kg on taekwondo-specific performance tasks. However, these studies did not evaluate whether this combination produces additive or synergistic effects on other types of sports performance. The present study aimed to assess the effects of listening to music alone or combined with caffeine intake on performance in the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT) in physically active subjects. Methods: Twenty-four physically active male participants took part in this randomized, double-blind, crossover experiment. Participants underwent WAnT performance evaluations under three conditions: (i) no intervention (control; CON); (ii) music plus placebo (Mus + PLA), involving the intake of a placebo (maltodextrin) 60 min prior and self-selected high-tempo music during warm-up; and (iii) music plus caffeine (Mus + CAF), involving the intake of 3 mg/kg of caffeine 60 min prior and self-selected high-tempo music during warm-up. Under all conditions, participants wore the same Bluetooth headphones (with or without music), performed a 10 min standardized warm-up, and completed the 30 s WAnT with a load of 7.5% of their body weight on a calibrated ergometer. Power output was recorded at a frequency of 1 Hz throughout the exercise. The Feeling Scale was assessed both before and after the exercise test, while heart rate (HR) and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured immediately following the exercise. Results: Mus + PLA and Mus + CAF significantly improved peak power, mean power, and total work compared with CON (p < 0.05). Furthermore, peak power was higher in Mus + CAF than in Mus + PLA (p = 0.01). Post-exercise HR and RPE showed no significant differences across conditions (p > 0.05). Regarding the Feeling Scale (FS) before exercise, the Mus + PLA and Mus + CAF conditions showed significantly higher scores than CON (p < 0.05), while no differences were found after exercise. The perceived fitness metrics displayed no significant differences among conditions (p > 0.05), except for self-perceived power, which was higher in Mus + CAF than in CON (p = 0.03). Conclusions: Self-selected music during warm-up, either alone or combined with caffeine, significantly enhanced several WAnT performance metrics, including peak power, mean power, and total work. Remarkably, combining music with caffeine further improved peak power and increased self-perceived power compared with music alone. While listening to self-selected music during warm-up provided measurable benefits on anaerobic exercise performance, the combination of music and caffeine demonstrated additive effects, making it the optimal strategy for maximizing anaerobic performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Caffeine Intake for Human Health and Exercise Performance)
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12 pages, 1116 KiB  
Article
Effect of MCT1 A1470T Polymorphism on Lactate and Potassium Concentrations After Caffeine Ingestion During Acute Resistance Exercise
by Mohammad Rahman Rahimi, Hassan Faraji, Seyyed Rasoul Hajipoor and Ildus I. Ahmetov
Nutrients 2024, 16(24), 4396; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16244396 - 21 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1608
Abstract
Background: The monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) plays a crucial role in regulating lactate and pyruvate transport across cell membranes, which is essential for energy metabolism during exercise. The MCT1 A1470T (rs1049434) polymorphism has been suggested to influence lactate transport, with the T (major) [...] Read more.
Background: The monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) plays a crucial role in regulating lactate and pyruvate transport across cell membranes, which is essential for energy metabolism during exercise. The MCT1 A1470T (rs1049434) polymorphism has been suggested to influence lactate transport, with the T (major) allele associated with greater transport efficiency. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the MCT1 polymorphism on lactate and potassium (K+) concentrations in response to resistance exercise (RE) following caffeine (CAF) ingestion. Methods: Thirty resistance-trained athletes were randomly selected to participate in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Participants consumed either CAF (6 mg/kg of body weight) or a placebo (PL; 6 mg of maltodextrin per kg of body weight) one hour before performing RE. Serum lactate and potassium concentrations were measured before exercise (Pre), immediately after (Post), and 15 min post-exercise (15 min Post). The RE protocol consisted of three sets to failure at 85% of 1RM for each exercise, with 2 min rest intervals between sets. Results: The findings indicate that under caffeine consumption, individuals carrying the A (minor) allele had significantly higher blood lactate levels before (p = 0.037) and immediately after (p = 0.0001) resistance exercise compared to those with the TT genotype. Additionally, caffeine consumption moderated the increase in plasma potassium levels in TT genotype carriers, while A allele carriers exhibited elevated potassium levels 15 min post-exercise, regardless of caffeine or placebo intake (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the MCT1 A1470T polymorphism may influence lactate metabolism and clearance under caffeine consumption, potentially impacting exercise performance and recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Caffeine Intake for Human Health and Exercise Performance)
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Review

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15 pages, 4892 KiB  
Review
Effects of Caffeine Supplementation on Exercise Performance in Volleyball Players: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Bin Chen, Chuanmin Zhang, Zhenghong Xu, Yiqian Li, Li Guo, Yinhang Cao and Olivier Girard
Nutrients 2025, 17(10), 1709; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17101709 - 18 May 2025
Viewed by 169
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The ergogenic effects of caffeine in team sports, particularly volleyball, have received significant research attention. This study sought to examine the effects of caffeine on both volleyball-specific and general performance outcomes. Methods: This systematic review comprises 11 studies, each utilizing a blinded [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The ergogenic effects of caffeine in team sports, particularly volleyball, have received significant research attention. This study sought to examine the effects of caffeine on both volleyball-specific and general performance outcomes. Methods: This systematic review comprises 11 studies, each utilizing a blinded crossover experimental design. A meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effect model to determine the standardized mean difference (SMD), estimated by Hedges’ g, with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Caffeine supplementation improved volleyball-specific outcomes, including attack and serve accuracy (SMD: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.11–0.90; p = 0.01). Regarding nonspecific outcomes, caffeine increased single-jump performance (SMD: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.02–0.44; p = 0.03), repeated-jump performance (SMD: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.05–0.96; p = 0.03), and handgrip strength (SMD: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.03–0.42; p = 0.02), while decreasing agility test completion time (SMD: −0.32; 95% CI: −0.60–0.03; p = 0.03). Furthermore, caffeine increased the frequency of positive game actions during simulated volleyball matches (SMD: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.26–1.43; p < 0.01). Conclusions: Caffeine supplementation enhances physical performance and volleyball-specific actions during competition, supporting its role as an effective ergogenic aid for volleyball players. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Caffeine Intake for Human Health and Exercise Performance)
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