Effects of caffeine on sprint performance

Caffeine is a natural substance that is used in food, beverage, and medicine on a daily basis. It is due to the ergogenic properties of caffeine which led to an increase in popularity among athletes. However, the legality and use of caffeine for its ergogenic effect have sparked numerous debates and differing viewpoints on its application in competitive sports. From 1984 to 2004, a high concentration of caffeine was banned from all Olympic events by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) but was later removed. Consumption of a high dose of caffeine was found to show an ergogenic effect that enhances sprint performance. However, a high dose of caffeine can also lead to various adverse side effects of caffeine such as anxiety and hypertension. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to study the effect of low dose caffeine on improving sprint performance and muscle fatigue, and if there is any difference in performance for habitual caffeine users and naïve caffeine users. The volunteers were put through 2 tests on 2 separate sessions and caffeine was given on the second session. The test consists of 2 times 50m with 5mins rest in between each sprint. The timings from both sessions were recorded and there were significant improvements in sprint performance for the habitual caffeine users. The naïve caffeine users showed insignificant improvements after caffeine consumption. The difference in improvements made by both genders was insignificant as well. In summary, a low dose of caffeine shows the potential to improve sprint performance and the time to muscle exhaustion.Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering