30 Seconds Summary
Research Spotlight: Caffeine is ergogenic for women, too

  • Caffeine has been widely used in exercise science research primarily with male subjects, but studies specific to female subjects have been limited.
  • Historically, most caffeine research involving strength and endurance focused on men, with only a small fraction including women (a 2020 meta-analysis showed 87% male participation).
  • Recent research, including a present meta-analysis with studies from 2020 and 2021, has begun to address this gap by including more female subjects.
  • The updated meta-analysis included eight studies with varied participants like resistance-trained subjects, competitive karate athletes, and untrained middle-aged women using standard caffeine dosages of 2-6mg/kg before exercise.
  • Results show caffeine significantly improves muscular endurance and 1RM strength in female lifters, similar to findings in male lifters.
  • Overall, the impact of caffeine on muscular performance in females is confirmed to be comparable to that in males, supporting its effectiveness across sexes.
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