30 Seconds Summary
Caffeine habituation and sensitivity to ergogenic effects

  • Caffeine is a popular ergogenic aid, commonly used to enhance various types of exercise performance including endurance, strength, and power.
  • The recent meta-analysis reviewed 60 studies with 1,137 participants to investigate if habitual caffeine consumption affects its ergogenic benefits.
  • Results showed caffeine consistently enhances exercise performance regardless of an individual's habitual intake, with small but positive effects on endurance, power, and strength.
  • The ergogenic effects of caffeine were similar across different exercise types, training statuses (trained, untrained, elite), and sexes, with no significant influence from habitual caffeine intake.
  • Optimal ergogenic doses of caffeine were between 3-6 mg/kg; however, higher doses (>6mg/kg) may lead to discomfort and variable performance outcomes.
  • Observational studies dominate the research, with limited controlled trials addressing caffeine habituation directly; habitual caffeine users still show performance benefits from acute caffeine use.
  • More experimental research, particularly randomized controlled trials, is needed to understand caffeine habituation, withdrawal effects, and performance variations over time.
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