Effect of caffeinated drinks on substrate metabolism, caffeine excretion, and performance

The effect ofaddition of different dosages of caffeine (Caf) to acarbohydrate-electrolyte solution (CES) on metabolism, Caf excretion,and performance was examined. Subjects(n = 15) ingested 8 ml/kg of waterplacebo (Pla-W), 7% CES (Pla-CES), or 7% CES with 150, 225, and 320 mg/l Caf (CES-150, CES-225, and CES-320, respectively) during a warm-upprotocol (20 min) and 3 ml/kg at one-third and two-thirds of a 1-h timetrial. Performance was improved with Caf supplementation: 62.5 ± 1.3, 61.5 ± 1.1, 60.4 ± 1.0, 58.9 ± 1.0, and 58.9 ± 1.2 min for Pla-W, Pla-CES, CES-150, CES-225, and CES-320, respectively.The postexercise urinary Caf concentration (range 1.3-2.5 µg/ml)was dose dependent and always far below the doping level of theInternational Olympic Committee (12 µg/ml) in all subjects. Sweat Cafexcretion during exercise exceeded postexercise early-void urinary Cafexcretion. Caffeinated CES did not enhance free fatty acidavailability, ruling out the fact that performance improvement resultedfrom enhanced fat oxidation. It is concluded that addition ofrelatively low amounts of Caf to CES improves performance and thatpostexercise urinary Caf concentration remained low.