Critique of an article from the Journal of Applied Physiology
"Effect of different protocols of caffeine intake on metabolism and endurance performance"
Introduction
In 2002, a group of Australian researchers published a paper entitled the "Effect of different protocols of caffeine intake on metabolism and endurance performance". Caffeine use during sporting events has become much more popular and has widely studied. The purpose of the research was to examine the work increasing (ergogenic) effects of differing regiments of caffeine on metabolism and performance while simulating the typical nutritional preparation an athlete would do for a race. The study also sought to examine the effect of timing of caffeine intake, comparing results when caffeine was given before an event (precaf) to results from caffeine given during an event (durcaf). In addition, the researchers wanted to understand the practice of endurance athletes drinking defizzed Coca-Cola towards the end of a race. It was widely observed that many triathletes and marathoners feel they derive a boost from consuming Coca-Cola in the final stages of an event as a replacement to sports drinks.
Participants and Overall Research Design
Two similar, but separate studies were conducted. The first study (A) used 12 highly trained athletes, either triathletes or cyclists. The second study (B) used a smaller sample of 8 athletes with similar backgrounds. While training histories were similar, caffeine intake histories varied from occasional to regular intake of up to ~150 mg/day (2mg/Kg). Subjects first performed a maximal incremental power test to determine their VO2 peak, a measurement of the body's ability to taken in O2 and turn it into work. A work rate of ...
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...e that negated some or all of the impact of the caffeine. 5) Test method variation (for blood or urinary tests) was not a factor. No data was given indicating the reproducibility of the test methods used.
A proposal to improve the design is examining the results versus pre-trial caffeine use. Would individuals who habitually use caffeine have the same performance enhancement as those who occasionally
use it or would the effect be lower? Another suggestion is to include a statement discussing test method variation and the impact (or lack of impact) on the test results. Finally, a larger sample size can help determine if borderline data is significant. While cost is almost always a consideration in research, the text discusses changes in muscle metabolism as not detectable. Additional data from more test subjects could produce results with statistical significance.
AERENHOUTS, D., DERIEMAEKER, P., HEBBELINCK, M., & CLARYS, P. (2011). Energy and macronutrient intake in adolescent sprint athletes: A follow-up study. Journal Of Sports Sciences, 29(1), 73-82.
...re promoted as a positive element, to keep up your workout performance, and make the most of your workout. If someone is working for more than an hour at high intensity, then calories are not such a bad idea, as they will keep your performance continuous. Although, for the majority of people, who exercise, are doing it to lose weight and so drinking sports drinks, would cause the same effect as not completing the workout at all. (Nutritionwonderland.com, 2014) Sports physiologist Dr. Greg Wells says “Eighty-five per cent of Canadians don’t get enough exercise to begin with, so they don’t need sports drinks. The remaining 15 percent that actually does exercise, you probably have one or two per cent exercising really hard, really intensely enough to really need those sports drinks. In this group, probably a small amount of them are exercising long enough to need it.”
...l., 1987). In a study in which the participants performed sprint interval training (Bayati, 2011), there was an increase in maximal blood lactate from pre to post training, indicating greater capacity of anaerobic glycolysis. This increase was found coinciding with increased peak power, mean power, and total work . Sharp et al. (1986) reported an increase in blood lactate concentrations and total work performed during a 45-s maximal cycle sprint after eight
...y, this experiment would be useful for caffeine consumers in determining whether caffeine will have a positive or negative effect on their alertness. After completion of the experiment, it can be concluded that this investigation would be a useful reference for caffeine consumers interested in the effect of caffeine on psychological and physiological reaction times. However, the results will not be specific to them, and must be generalised, risking the reliability of the results. That being said, this experiment will have introduced a method of testing the effect of caffeine on psychological and physiological reaction times, which they may undergo for themselves.
Several people rely on caffeine to wake them up or give them a boost of energy when they feel down. Acting as a stimulant, caffeine not only improves concentration and focus, but also stops fatigue (Staff 1). Considered the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world, approximately 90 percent of adults consume it daily (“MedicineNet.com” 1). But do caffeine buyers really stop to evaluate the possinle harmful effects on their body? Health scares similar to this are not recent. In fact, they have been going on for over 100 years. In 1911, the US Government sued the Coca-Cola company for making their drinks hazardous to other’s health (Lovett 2). Although the Coca-Cola company won, it proves that people worry about what they put into their bodies, even if it does help them stay up to finish their homework. Not everybody will experience the same effects from caffeine. Some people seem more sensitive to caffeine than others (Staff 1). While some will express unwanted effects after only one cup of coffee or tea, others will not notice these same effects until after maybe four or five cups. Although caffeine does include benefits, many downfalls exemplify the stimulant as well. Drinking even small amounts of caffeine daily develops harmful effects on most people’s body and health.
"Medicines in My Home: Caffeine and Your Body." U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Fall 2007. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
Snell PG, Ward R, Kandaswami C, Stohs SJ. Comparative effects of selected non-caffeinated rehydration sports drinks on short-term performance following moderate dehydration. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 7:28-36, 2010.
Going into details of the article, I realized that the necessary information needed to evaluate the experimental procedures were not included. However, when conducting an experiment, the independent and dependent variable are to be studied before giving a final conclusion.
Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant on college campuses. It stimulates the central nervous system as it temporarily combats drowsiness, and restores alertness. Caffeine’s “powers” are the perfect anecdote for college student’s busy lives, but what if the opposite was true? Whether students barely come into contact with caffeine, and others use it habitually the study researchers whether caffeine has an effect on their cognitive processes. Daily caffeine regulars and sometime users consume it in many different ways, which are coffee, tea, cola drinks, candy bars, cocoa, cold and diet medications, and sleep prevention compounds, and they also consume it in various different doses. Caffeine is in about 100 medications, stimulants like NoDoz, cold preparations, appetite suppressants and mood elevating agents (Addicott, 2009). The psychophysiological effects of the stimulant include alertness, anxiety, heart rate, and these effects can result in a different performance on different task (Acevedo, 1988). The research questions whether the effects of caffeine have a positive or negative impact on student’s cognitive abilities.
Spriet, Lawrence L., and Terry E. Graham."Caffeine and Exercise Performance." American College of Sports Medicine. Web. 13 Oct. 2013.
Caffeine has many specific benefits for different types of athletes. Though much of the research on caffeine in athletics is inconclusive, there are many athletes that believe the substance can enhance their physical as well as mental performance. It is supposed that caffeine can improve the athlete’s endurance in sports where long-term stamina is needed. These sports include cycling, running, and even soccer. In an experiment to study the effects of caffeine as an ergogenic aid, 6 regular caffeine users were monitored while they exercised until exhaustion. During this double ...
As the vast majority of Americans are addicted to caffeine, studies show that the effects during post-consumption, can be positive or negative depending on the amount and frequency of caffeine intake. As the demand for caffeine has increased, the caffeine industry has increased its amount of marketing and establishments to help aid this demand. Caffeine addiction can lead to serious health detriments and physiological detriments. It is evident that the primary reason for consumption of caffeinated beverages is due to positive effects, such as alertness. The media has an abundance of marketing to continue to illustrate this main effect. The media fails to project the negative effects of excessive caffeine intake. This literature review will illustrate how excessive caffeine consumption can be detrimental to one’s life, and how problematic caffeine use derives from conditioning by the caffeine industries.
Hameleers, P. M., Van Boxtel, M. J., Hogervorst, E., Riedel, W. J., Houx, P. J., Buntinx, F., & Jolles, J. (2000). Habitual caffeine consumption and its relation to memory, attention, planning capacity and psychomotor performance across multiple age groups. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical And Experimental, 15, 573-581. doi:10.1002/hup.218
Open with Impact: How much coffee do you drink? How is that cup of coffee affecting your brain, thinking skills, alertness, sleep, and overall health?
Millions of Americans begin each day by consuming the most widely used drug in the United States: Caffeine. Over 90% of United States adults consume caffeinated food or beverages on a daily basis and over 50% take more than the recommended amount. Our innocent daily ritual can turn into an addiction for some because many do not realize that caffeine is even a drug let alone the effects it can have on their bodies. Its use it becoming more and more prominent in our society. It’s not uncommon to walk outside and see a Starbucks or coffee shop on each corner. Innovative foods are coming out infused with coffee, and energy drinks are being pushed at every angle. Caffeine to many is a necessity to wake up in the morning and for others to stay up all night. This is dangerous because people are not only becoming more and more dependent on coffee drinks and energy drinks but they are beginning to ingest more of it each day and are now mixing it with other drugs that can be life threatening. Proper knowledge is important when taking any drug including one that the FDA considers to be a safe multi-purpose food substance and education is the key.