Review
215
Caffeine and Sports Activity: A Review
A. Nehlig', G. Debry2
1 INSERM U 398, Faculté de Médecine, Nancy, France
2 Centre de Nutrition Humaine, Université de Nancy I, Nancy, France
Abstract
A. Nehlig and G. Debry, Caffeine and Sports
Activity: A Review. Int. J. Sports Med., Vol. 15, No. 5,
pp. 2 15—223, 1994.
Accepted after revision: November 14, 1993
Potential ergogenic effects of caffeine at the
cellular level are mediated by three main mechanisms of
action which are: intracellular mobilization of calcium from
sarcoplasmic reticulum and increased sensitivity of myofi-
brilles to calcium; inhibition of phosphodiesterases leading
to an increase in cyclic-3',5'-adenosine monophosphate
(cAMP) in various tissues including muscle; and the antag-
onism at the level of adenosine receptors, mainly in the
central nervous system. The main mechanism of action of
caffeine at the level usually encountered in vivo after the
ingestion of a few cups of coffee is undoubtely linked to the
antagonism of caffeine at adenosine receptors. Caffeine also
increases production of plasma catecholamines that allow
the body to adapt to the stress created by physical exercise.
Catecholamine production increases probably, in turn, the
availability of free fatty acids as muscle substrates during
work, thus allowing glycogen sparing. Caffeine is able to
increase muscle contractility, has no ergogenic effect on in-
tense exercise of brief duration, but can improve the time
before exhaustion. Caffeine is also able to improve physical
performance and endurance during prolonged activity of
submaximal intensity. Glycogen sparing resulting from in-
creased rate of lipolysis could contribute to the prolonged
time to exhaustion. Finally, tolerance to the methylxanthine
should be taken into account when an athlete wants to draw
any benefit from caffeine absorption prior to a sports event.
Key words
Caffeine, methyixanthines, sports, perform-
ance, endurance, catecholamines, adenosine
mt. J. Sports Med. 15 (1994) 215—223
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart New York
Introduction
Caffeine is the drug most widely consumed all
over the world. Coffee consumption is increasing mainly in the
middle-aged and older population whereas soft drink consump-
tion has increased by 14% in the younger population (48).
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The possibility that caffeine or methyixan-
thines could improve performance during sports events and pro-
longed effort aroused great interest and was the basis for
numerous studies. However, this hypothesis remains extremely
controversial, undoubtably because of a lack of standardization
among the various experimental procedures (7,25,51, 168).
Furthermore, this type of study is complicated by the fact that
caffeine effects vary with the corpulence of the individual, the
type, intensity and duration of the given exercise, the dose of
caffeine used, habituation to the methylxanthine and with en-
vironmental conditions during exercise (25, 167). In fact, caf-
feine might act directly on the central nervous system by stimu-
lating release of f3-endorphins and hormones that modif' per-
ception of pain and discomfort caused by physical effort (144).
Already, 20 years ago Calhoun (33) wondered if the improve-
ment in performance related to absorption of caffeine would not
simply reflect the effect of this methylxanthine on mood.
Mechanisms of Action of Caffeine
The understanding of the potential ergogenic
effects of caffeine requires the knowledge of its mechanisms of
action at the cellular level. Three main mechanisms of action
have been described which are, in chronological order of their
discovery: intracellular mobilization of calcium from sarco-
plasmic reticulum of the skeletal muscle, inhibition of phos-
phodiesterases in various tissues such as muscles and adipo-
cytes, and antagonism at the level of adenosine receptors,
mainly in the central nervous system. These different mecha-
nisms of action have been the subject of numerous reviews (45,
80,81,124,125,135,137,154).
Mobilization of intracellular calcium
The effect of methylxanthines on mobilization
of intracellular calcium has been demonstrated in skeletal
muscle many years ago. Caffeine can initiate and potentiate
muscle contraction in numerous experimental conditions and in
different species (18,21,36,98,101,114,176). At a concen-
tration of 1 to 2 mM, the methyixanthine lowers the excitability
threshold and prolongs duration of the active period of muscle
contraction in vitro by increasing the release of calcium from
sarcoplasmic reticulum (17—19, 83,159) and by inhibiting the
uptake of calcium by sarcoplasmic reticulum, which makes the
ion more available for muscle contraction (58,62,64,70, 123,
216 mt. J Sports Med. 15 (1994)
158, 176) and facilitates the coupling of excitation and contrac-
tion in striated muscle (39). Caffeine also increases twitch ten-
sion development in muscles (90, 146,176). The effect of caf-
feine depends on intra- and extracellular concentrations of cal-
cium (107). Caffeine sensitizes the muscular contractile appara-
tus to the concentration of intracellular calcium (49,61, 128,
176) probably by direct interaction with the calcium release
channels in sarcoplasmic reticulum, the ryanodine receptor
(145, 183). The sensitivity of muscle to caffeine depends on the
sarcomere length (63,71,108,122,160,161). Thus, the in-
creased force of contraction in muscle triggered by high con-
centrations of caffeine is probably related to both the increase
in the release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and
the increase in myofibrillar sensitivity to calcium. It seems that
caffeine acts either directly or biochemically on the constitutive
actine-myosine matrix of striated muscle fibers (49,54).
A minimal concentration of 250 jiM of caffeine
seems necessary to produce detectable effects on calcium shifts
(146). The circulating plasma concentration of caffeine after
ingestion of coffee is usually less than 100 l.LM. Toxic effects are
observed with concentration of this methylxanthine above
200 jiM, and lethal intoxications are observed with blood con-
centrations higher than 500 jiM (82,136). Thus, the mecha-
nisms responsible for the pharmacological effects of caffeine
are probably activated by concentrations lower than 100 jiM.
Given these conditions, it is unlikely that mobilization of intra-
cellular calcium represents an essential mechanism of caffeine
action in vivo.
Inhibition ofphosphodiesterases
The inhibiting properties of methylxanthines
on cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases activity were dis-
covered by Sutherland's group (12,30) who used theophylline
and caffeine in their research on regulation of glycogen metab-
olism and on peripheral lipolysis. After identif,'ing the major
role of cyclic-3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the
regulation of these processes, the authors observed that the
methylxanthine prevents enzymatic breakdown of cAMP by
inhibiting cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (12,30). This
discovery represents a possible mechanism of action of methyl-
xanthines, i.e., accumulation of cAMP and potentialization of
its effects in order to stimulate the action of substances such as
catecholamines (81).
However, the inhibition of phosphodiesterases
is produced only with millimolar concentration of methylxan-
thines, i.e., a toxic concentration that is never found in situ (137,
169,174). Hence, it seems very difficult to establish a link
between phosphodiesterase inhibition and pharmacological
properties of caffeine in concentrations usually found in the
circulating blood. Thus, chronic treatment of caffeine at a dose
of 25 mg/kg/day does not increase intracerebral concentration
of cAMP and does not decrease specific activity of the specific
phosphodiesterases of cerebral cyclic nucleotides in vivo (29).
Antagonism at the level
of adenosine receptors
The hypothesis concerning this third mecha-
nism of action of methylxanthines comes from the studies of
Sattin and RaIl (149). These authors made the surprising dis-
covery that, under several conditions, theophylline reduces the
A. Nehlig, G. Debry
accumulation of cAMP in cerebral slices instead of increasing
it as would be expected from a phosphodiesterase inhibitor.
Therefore, they suggested that theophylline could block stimu-
lation of cAMP formation by endogenous adenosine.
The possibility that central stimulant effects of
methyixanthines result from competitive antagonism of the de-
pressant effects of endogenous adenosine is appealing for many
reasons. Most pharmacologic effects of adenosine in nerve
tissue can be suppressed by relatively low concentrations of
circulating methylxanthines, e.g., less than 100 jiM, which are
attained after drinking 1—3 cups of coffee. This concentration
apparently has no direct effect on cAMP metabolism nor on
calcium shifts (46, 155). Administration of adenosine and its
derivatives usually produces effects opposite to those of caf-
feine or theophylline (125). These effects include depression of
spontaneous electrical activity of the neurons (110, 130), inhibi-
tion of synaptic transmission (127, 152) and release of neu-
rotransmitters (82,95). Caffeine could increase neuromuscular
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transmission and neuron excitability by lowering the firing the-
shold of motor neurons and/or by reducing the inhibitory action
of adenosine on firing rhythms (24,46,168,171,181). Ade-
nosine derivatives induce also a dose-dependent decrease in
locomotor activity that can be reversed by small doses of caf-
feine or theophylline (56,132,155).
There are two main sub-classes of adenosine
receptors, Al receptors have high affinity for adenosine and A2
have low affinity (37, 111, 164). Adenosine, via these two types
of receptors, regulates a number of physiological functions
either by inhibition (Al receptors) or by stimulation (A2 recep-
tors) of adenylate cyclase. Caffeine and theophylline exert an-
tagonist actions on these two types of receptors (47, 154).
In conclusion, because of the very high con-
centration of circulating methylxanthines needed to inhibit spe-
cific phosphodiesterases of cyclic nucleotides, it is probable
that this mechanism is only slightly involved in the pharmaco-
logical effects of methyixanthines in skeletal muscles. On the
other hand, the main mechanism of action of methylxanthines,
although undoubtedly linked to their antagonism at the level of
adenosine receptors, implicates, at least in certain conditions,
modifications of calcium shifts which seem controlled either by
adenosine or by the methylxanthine itself.
Other Effects of Caffeine:
Catecholammes and Acetylcholine
Caffeine which is a well-known stimulant of
the central nervous system (11,93,103,124,136) increases mo-
toneurons recruitment as well as the frequency of potentials of
the motor end plate through release of acetylcholine. Caffeine,
at doses of 7 to 35mg/kg also facilitates the effect of acetyl-
choline and of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, but only tran-
siently (100).
Caffeine increases production of plasma cate-
cholamines during and at the end of exercise (39,67,75). Action
of catecholamines is essential because it allows the body to
adapt to the stress created by physical exercise. In fact, cate-
cholamines participate in a number of critical processes, includ-
ing glycogenolysis, uptake of glucose, gluconeogenesis, lipoly-
sis of muscle and adipose tissue, muscle contractility, inotropic
and chronotropic responses of the heart, and circulatory adjust-
Caffeine and Sports Activity. A Review
ments (117). However, results of studies on plasma cate-
cholamine changes are somewhat contradictory. Only one study
reports an increase in plasma concentrations of dopamine and
noradrenaline after 60 mm of exercise (75). At 90 minutes after
effort, other authors found no change in plasma levels of
adrenaline and noradrenaline (142), whereas in two other stu-
dies, plasma adrenaline is selectively increased during non-in-
tense and prolonged exercise without warm-up (139) and after
high doses of caffeine (9mg/kg) with no change in noradrena-
line levels (88).
Effects of Caffeine on Muscle
Direct effects of caffeine on muscle
Caffeine potentiates the tension of isolated
muscle contraction by direct stimulation, and of nerve-muscle
preparations by indirect stimulation, both at rest and after
fatigue (43,115,168,184). Sensitivity to caffeine is not the
same for all muscles. Muscles which contain a majority of type
I fibers, such as the soleus muscle in the cat or rat, are much
more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than muscles which
contain a majority of type II fibers, such as the extensor and
flexor muscles of the finger in the cat, rat and mouse (26,52,
99,100,126,151). This difference in sensitivity to caffeine has
also been shown recently in human type I and type II muscle
fibers (121).
Effects of caffeine on muscle metabolism
Metabolic modifications of muscle vary with
the type of exercise. Thus, during brief and intense effort,
mainly anaerobic metabolism is involved. During prolonged
effort, anaerobic glycolysis is involved first since it is needed
for cardiovascular adaption. After about two minutes of exer-
cise, aerobic glycolysis takes place in the muscle. During in-
tense and relatively long exercise, both metabolisms, aerobic
and anaerobic, are associated (177). Intense muscle exercise
induces an increase in glycolytic flux which results in an in-
crease in lactic acid production and a decrease in pH, which has
been postulated to partly account for the onset of muscle fatigue
(16,32,120,178,182).
Fatty acids are used actively by the muscle
during exercise (44, 75,79, 102,163,177), which results in spar-
ing of glycogen (13). Improvement in performance after absorp-
tion of caffeine observed in prolonged exercise involving aero-
bic metabolism has been attributed to stimulation of lipolysis.
Hydrolysis of triglycerides of adipose tissue (142,150) in-
creases blood concentration of free fatty acids (1, 13,14,35,67,
128,162). However, some studies do not demonstrate an in-
crease in plasma concentration of free fatty acids after ingestion
of caffeine (65,66,109,147,148,175). The effect of caffeine on
potential storing of muscle glycogen has been the focus of many
studies (34,44,67,68,86, 102, 111, 138, 147). Caffeine, fructose
and glucose, either alone or combined, have a marked effect on
storing of muscle glycogen during cycling exercise (66). Simi-
larly, caffeine and sucrose stimulate endurance to comparable
degrees but have no synergistic effect on performance (148).
According to recent studies, ingestion of caffeine one hour balance, thermoregulation, or myocardial function during exer-
before exercise decreases muscle glycogen utilization about 55 cise (72,87). Indeed, caffeine and a placebo exert identical ef-
% during the first 15 minutes of effort compared to subjects fects on total loss of water, sweating, increase of rectal temper-
receiving a placebo. The glycogen thus saved becomes available ature at the end of the event, heat retention during the event,
for the following phases of exercise, delaying onset of exhaus- plasma volume, concentration of plasma electrolytes and elec-
tion (156). This mechanism is important, because depletion of trocardiographic modifications. Some authors have even ob-
mt. .1 Sports Med. 15 (1994) 217
muscle glycogen could be to a great extent responsible for the
fatigue observed during tests of endurance (2,68,92,106, 111,
139).
Furthermore, increased utilization of in-
tramuscular triacyiglycerol and/or extramuscular fatty acids
after ingestion of caffeine could inhibit glycogen breakdown,
especially by modifying muscle concentrations of acetyl-
coenzyme A and citrate (156). However, increased plasma con-
centration of free fatty acids induced by caffeine is not always
accompanied by a modification of substrate utilization by the
muscle (109, 175). Circulating concentration of free fatty acids
is the product of both hepatic release and amount taken up by
all other tissues that can vary widely with experimental condi-
tions. Lastly, at high altitude, caffeine increases endurance by a
mechanism other than that of mobilization of fatty acids, since
it does not induce an increase in plasma concentration of carni-
tine (9,84); the mechanism involved is still unknown.
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During anaerobic exercise, caffeine seems to
increase the production of lactate by the muscle, regardless of
the degree of training of the subject (6,41). This phenomenon
could reflect caffeine-induced potentiation of muscle glyco-
genolysis and/or increase in release of lactate that does not
necessarily reflect a stimulation of lactate formation (40).
Depletion of muscle glycogen during exercise is greater in type
I than in type II fibers, the latter acting only intermittantly in
continuous contraction. The sparing of glycogen due to caffeine
(156) could apply more to type I fibers by increasing their
energy reserves. Thus, it is possible that the effects of caffeine
vary as a function of the type of fibers contained in the muscles
that are called upon in a given sports activity.
Some authors suggest that only well-trained
athletes can draw benefit from use of caffeine (31,40,41,140,
150). Highly-trained athletes already possess, because of inten-
sive training, a stimulated lipolytic activity and an increase in
the size and density of their mitochondria (68). Also, in rats
trained with endurance exercises, caffeine does not modify
plasma concentration of free fatty acids nor utilization of gly-
cogen from muscle or liver (8).
Recently, caffeine has been shown to increase
the levels of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption in un-
trained female subjects both during and after 90 mm of exercise
(35,54). Therefore, the caffeine-induced increase in metabolic
rate of these women may have a beneficial effect for obese
subjects or those who are on a weight loss programm, since
caffeine intake enhances oxygen and energy consumption for a
long time after exercise (35,54). However, there seems to be no
significant advantage in ingesting large (10 mg/kg) rather than
small (5mg/kg) doses of caffeine (54).
Effect of Caffeine on Physiology
and Interaction With Sports Activity
In spite of the expected increase in oxygen con-
sumption, ingestion of caffeine does not modify body fluid
218 mt. J Sports Med. 15 (1994)
served an improvement in physical performance in patients
suffering from coronary artery disease (131). In patients who
were regular coffee drinkers, the duration of exercise necessary
to induce angina pectoris was longer after ingestion of one or
two cups of caffeine-containing coffee than after intake of de-
caffeinated coffee. Moreover, no worsening effect of caffeine on
exercise-induced angina was observed (131). Recently, Höfer
and Bättig (94) showed that coffee consumption increases sys-
tolic blood pressure in a transient manner but reduces its reac-
tivity to physical challenge. Thus, coffee consumption could
have a subtle stabilizing effect on systolic blood pressure at a
slightly elevated level (94).
Effects of Coffee and Caffeine
on Athletic Performance
Even though muscle contractility is increased
by in situ administration of caffeine (115), numerous studies
have shown that this methylxanthine had no ergogenic effect on
muscle strength and fatigue (22,27, 179), output (10), work ca-
pacity (3), maximal swimming speed (40,9 1). Conversely, re-
cently Anselme et al. (6) found an increase in maximal anaero-
bic power during intense exercise of brief duration. These con-
tradictory results might be due to numerous differences among
experimental protocols which make potential ergogenic effects
of caffeine difficult to interpret (6, 134). Furthermore, some
studies assess the in situ effect of caffeine on muscle while
others focus on the effect of this methylxanthine on the whole
body. Lastly, at low frequencies of stimulation (i.e., at rest),
caffeine increases tension developed by the muscle, even after
fatigue, and facilitates muscle contraction. On the contrary, at
higher frequencies or during voluntary maximal contractions
(i.e. during effort), it has no effect (113,167). In fact, perform-
ance seems improved by caffeine only in highly-trained athletes
(40,4 1).
Regular coffee (containing 250mg of caffeine)
and decaffeinated coffee, administered in a double-blind study,
improved to the same degree long jump, shot put, and 100-
meter dash performance (60), suggesting that the positive effect
of coffee on sports activity may be partly related to other con-
stituents of coffee than to caffeine or could rather be mostly
subjective.
Reports on the effect of caffeine on maximal
consumption of oxygen and on delay before fatigue are contra-
dictory (25). According to some authors, caffeine has no ergo-
genic effect on work capacity (53,85,116), performance (78),
or during incremental ergometric cycling tests (129, 133, 143).
On the contrary, other authors report that caffeine increases the
capacity for work during graded exercises (76,77,163). Caf-
feine could in fact mask fatigue, thus allowing individuals to
feel better and to increase arousal and capacity to sustain in-
tense effort (27,78). Furthermore, absorption of 85 to 250mg
of caffeine before shooting tests and combat sports results in a
decrease in reaction time, and an increase in precision, dexterity
and coordination (170).
Effects of Coffee and Caffeine
on Endurance
It appears that caffeine can improve physical
performance or work output and endurance during prolonged
activity of submaximal intensity, such as cross-country skiing,
A. Nehlig, G. Debry
running and cycling (15,44,67,75,76,88,102,118,139). Mod-
erate to high doses of caffeine (2—9 mg/kg or a single dose of
300—500mg) are able to improve exercise performance during
prolonged work (120 mm or to exhaustion) at 75—80%
(/O2max in both caffeine-naive and caffeine-habituated subjects
either running or cycling (15,44,88,104,148). Caffeine at-
tenuates perception of the effort required (77,84).
However, some other studies did not find an
improvement of performance by caffeine in endurance exercise
of various types, both on a cycle ergometer, a treadmill and
during voluntary isometric exercise (23,31,42,73,113,133,
145, 166). Time to exhaustion may be prolonged in incremental
exercise (76,118) and prolonged (15) or not modified by caf-
feine both at sea level or at high altitudes in acclimated and not
acclimated athletes (44,82). The effect of caffeine is more pro-
nounced when skiing is performed at an altitude of 2900 m
(9425 ft) than at 300 m (975 ft) (44) and time to exhaustion is
also markedly prolonged by caffeine in the athlete not accli-
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mated to the altitude (84).
Interactions of Diet and Effects
of Caffeine on Sports Activity
Weir et al. (173) suggested that the discordant
results on caffeine effect on athletic activity could be due to
differences in individual diets prior to exercise, which would
modify the response to caffeine. Since caffeine induces a mo-
bilization of fatty acids (1,13,16,32,77,79,120,142,150,177,
178, 180, 182), eating before taking caffeine and before exercise
could play a non-negligible role. Thus, Weir et al. (173) studied
the interaction of caffeine and meals, and that of caffeine and
diets high in fats or carbohydrates. Plasma fatty acids are higher
after ingestion of caffeine alone and lower after a meal high in
fat with or without caffeine. On the other hand, the increase in
lipacidemia induced by caffeine is completely inhibited by a
diet high in carbohydrates followed by a meal also rich in car-
bohydrates (173). Therefore, it is clear that individual
nutritional condition, especially carbohydrate reserves, can
strongly affect the metabolic response to caffeine. Conse-
quently, according to these authors, it is very likely that the
potential beneficial effects of caffeine on mobilization of lipids
is inhibited in trained athletes since they usually follow a high
carbohydrate diet before the competition (173). In contradiction
with these data, Graham and Spriet (88) found a dramatic ergo-
genic effect in well-trained athletes who were ingesting a diet
rich in carbohydrates. This effect was independent from history
of caffeine use and from the type of exercise.
Tolerance to Caffeine
Finally, the effects of caffeine on physical per-
formance are strongly attenuated in habitual consumers of
coffee or caffeine (67,75, 124). Tolerance to the diuretic (59) or
cardiovascular and humoral effects (5, 141) of coffee and caf-
feine has been well described, whereas tolerance to the central
effects of coffee and caffeine is probably of smaller amplitude
(for review, see 124) but obvious (153). However, the dose-re-
sponse curves for habituation and tolerance to the methyixan-
thine vary with the individual (69).
Tolerance to the effects of caffeine on athletic
performance have not been studied in detail. However, in some
studies such as that of Graham and Spriet (88), the athletes were
Caffeine and Sports Activity. A Review mt. .1 Sports Med. 15 (1994) 219

asked to refrain from caffeine ingestion for 48 hrs before test-
ing, in order to avoid a possible tolerance to the methyixanthine.
Tolerance to caffeine on locomotor activity has been recorded
in animals (38,74,96,119, 124), but it is rather from central
nervous system origin. Its rapid onset as well as its persistence
seem to impoicate depletion of one or several neurotransmitters,
especially noradrenaline (4,89). The role of adenosine on the
development of tolerance is still debated (4,97).
Thus, it is advisable that athletes who want to
enhance the effect of caffeine during prolonged exercise should
abstain from caffeine in the 4 days preceding the event, in order
to avoid the tolerance phenomenon (75). Moreover, it would be
preferable to ingest caffeine 3 to 4 hours before the endurance
exercise, at the time of peak plasma concentration of free fatty
acids (173), rather than one hour before the event, because then
only the peak plasma concentration of caffeine is reached (76).
Coffee, Caffeine and Doping in Sports
Thus, some people who eliminate caffeine very slowly might
exceed the limits authorized by the IOC even after relatively
moderate consumption (20). Therefore, this limit should be re-
vised or athletes should be advised to limit their intake (20).
Conclusion
Three main mechanisms of action of caffeine
at the cellular level may explain its effects on muscle activity.
These are the intracellular mobilization of calcium from sarco-
plasmic reticulum and possible sensitization of myofibrilles to
calcium, the inhibition of phosphodiesterases causing accumu-
lation of cAMP in muscle, and finally the antagonism of caf-
feine at the level of adenosine receptors, mainly in the central
nervous system. The main mechanism of action of caffeine at
the cellular level is undoubtely linked to its antagonism for
adenosine receptors since it is the only one efficient in vivo at
doses encountered in humans after consumption of 1—3 cups of
coffee.

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The utilization of doping agents before sports In vitro, caffeine is able to potentiate muscular
events is routinely controlled by testing urine specimens. In contraction, but this effect is obtained with concentrations of
addition to testing for steroids and hormones, caffeine concen- caffeine much greater than those usually found in coffee
tration in urine is now controlled (105). In fact, many athletes drinkers. In vivo, caffeine has not been shown to improve per-
absorb caffeine before and during sports events. Once absorbed, formance in high intensity, short-term exercise or during in-
caffeine is distributed throughout the organism and the highest cremental exercise. However, there is a better consensus on the
concentration is found in muscle (28). The use of caffeine to beneficial effects of caffeine on endurance in both caffeine-
improve athletic performance was suggested about 40 years naive and caffeine-habituated subjects. This beneficial effect on
ago, but became popular only recently after several studies endurance could be related to a more active utilization of free
showed that caffeine improves endurance (157). The maximal fatty acids by the muscle resulting in glycogen sparing during
urine concentration of caffeine allowed by the International endurance activity.
Olympic Committee is 12 gJm1. It is currently accepted that
this urinary concentration will not be reached with the amounts The reason why the results of the effects of
of coffee, tea or Coca-cola that are usually consumed (165, caffeine on sports activity remain contradictory and very diffi-
166). This concentration could be reached only after absorption cult to interpret may be explained by the lack of standardization
of doses of 897—1065mg of caffeine i.e., the equivalent of 8 of the different studies. The benefit derived from ingestion of
cups of coffee. Consequently, it is obvious that if an athlete caffeine before a sports event may be partly indirect, probably
exceeds the limit of urine concentration of caffeine set down by related to the effects of caffeine on the central nervous system.
the International Olympic Committee (bC), it is because he Moreover, it is also possible that caffeine is beneficial only in
willfully absorbed large amounts of caffeine before the sports certain sports and in precise conditions. Finally, tolerance to
event (165). After the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984, caffeine must be taken into account and athletes should refrain
the American Federation of Cycling revealed that their team of from caffeine consumption about 4 days before the sports event
cyclists had taken caffeine suppositories before the event. None if they want to draw the optimal beneficial effect of the methyl-
of the tests for caffeine came back positive for these athletes xanthine.
(157). Up to now, only two athletes, one American cyclist and
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Astrid Nehlig
INSERM U 398
Laboratoire de Physiologie
Faculté de Médecine
BR 184
F-54505 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy-Cedex
France