30 Seconds SummaryResearch Spotlight: Another look at genes and caffeine – Who can benefit?
- Caffeine is widely recognized for enhancing performance in strength, physique, and endurance athletes, and it is commonly found in many foods and beverages.
- The CYP1A2 gene is important for caffeine metabolism, determining if someone is a 'fast' or 'slow' metabolizer based on their genetic variant (AA for fast, AC or CC for slow).
- A study analyzed the effects of caffeine on exercise performance in 16 resistance-trained men, revealing that caffeine significantly increased peak power in fast metabolizers but not in slow ones.
- Despite some evidence suggesting fast metabolizers benefit more from caffeine, broader research shows mixed results, with some slow metabolizers also experiencing performance benefits.
- A systematic review highlighted that the impact of the CYP1A2 genotype on caffeine’s ergogenic effects is not consistent, with only a few studies showing significant differences between genotypes.
- Final thoughts suggest that both fast and slow metabolizers can experience ergogenic benefits from caffeine, though the extent of the effect might vary based on factors like activity duration and caffeine dose.
Stronger By Science
Eric Trexler
