The Effects of Caffeine on Reaction Time and Sprint Performance

Caffeine is a popular aid for improving performance in athletes because of its ability to block adenosine, leading to more sustained and forceful contractions (Goods, Landers, and Fulton, 2017). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of caffeine on reaction time to an auditory stimulus and sprint performance in D3 college athletes. Student-athletes from Linfield University were recruited to participate in the study. During the first week participants were given a cup with either 8 ounces of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee. Fifteen minutes after consumption, each participant performed a standardized warm up, and then performed three 20-meter sprints. Auditory reaction time was then tested. Participants returned the following week to perform the same procedure with the opposite treatment. The results of this study showed that caffeine caused a significant decrease in sprint time in the third sprint (p=0.05), as well as a significant decrease in total mean sprint time compared to the decaffeinated trial in those who drank one cup of caffeine daily (p=0.04) and a decrease in the dominant, random reaction time test in those who reportedly had 2-3 cups of caffeine per day (p=0.02). There was no significant difference in any other sprint or reaction time trials. Future studies should include a larger sample size and include a longer absorption period