Performance and recovery: effects of caffeine on a 2000-m rowing ergometer

This study investigated the effects of caffeine on subsequent performance and recovery from a 2000-m rowing ergometer. Nine trained male rowers (18.3 ± 1.1 years) consumed 3 or 6 mg kg−1 of caffeine or placebo. In three sequential time trials (TT), 30-min after (Trial1) and 6.5 h after (Trial2) caffeine intervention, participants performed a 2000-m ergometer effort. Power output (PO), stroke rate (SR), and time were monitored during the TTs. Ventilatory variables, serum creatine kinase (CK), blood lactate (BLa), and heart rate (HR) were recorded in Trial1 and Trial2, 30 min after Trial1 (1st recovery) and 30-min before Trial2 (2nd recovery). After ingesting 6 mg kg−1 of caffeine, PO was significantly greater in Trial1 (8.2%) compared to the placebo. Also significant increases in $$\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{ 2 {\text{peak}}}}$$ during Trial1 (10.1%) and 2 (13.9%), HR at $$\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{ 2 {\text{peak}}}}$$ (5.5%), $${\text{HR}}_{{V{\text{O}}_{{ 2 {\text{peak}}}} }}$$ during Trial1 (10.0%) and 2 (11.3%), $$\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{ 2}$$ /HRpeak in Trial1 (19.6%) and 2 (17.3%), $$\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{ 2}$$ at lactate threshold (LT) in Trial1 (24.6%), and significant decrease in ventilatory evaluation ($$\dot{V}_{\text{E}}$$) (9.0%) were shown in 6 mg kg−1 compared to placebo. In recovery phase, minute ventilation (MV) was significantly higher in 1st (17.1%) and 2nd recovery (28.7%) and RER increased in 1st recovery (9.9%, P = 0.04) in 6 mg kg−1 compared to placebo. CK increased significantly in 2nd recovery (14.1%). BLa in 6 mg kg−1 was higher than placebo in Trial1 (18.6%) and Trial2 (24.4%). Based on improvements in ventilatory variables, and decreased CK and BLa levels after 6 mg kg−1 caffeine ingestion in performance and recovery, this study provides novel data by demonstrating that pre-exercise caffeine ingestion improves performance and subsequent recovery from rowing effort.