Zhu Ganfang, Fu Keqi, Xie Yangzheng
Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Front Nutr. 2025 Jul 29;12:1629950. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1629950. eCollection 2025.
The consumption of caffeine (CAF) to enhance adaptations in athletes has been documented in prior studies; however, the identification of an optimal approach for CAF supplementation during short-term interventions remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate how different caffeine (CAF) dosage strategies consumed 1 h before plyometric jump training (PJT) affect exercise performance adaptations in male volleyball athletes.
A total of thirty-two young volleyball players volunteered for the study and were randomly divided into four groups: 3 mg/kg of caffeine (CAF-3, = 8), 6 mg/kg of caffeine (CAF-6, = 8), progressively increases from 3 to 6 mg/kg of caffeine (CAF-3 to 6, = 8), and placebo (PL, = 8). All athletes engaged in a 4-week PJT intervention, three times a week, and ingested their CAF or PL in a double-blind manner 1 hour prior to the PJT sessions. Countermovement vertical jump (CMVJ), spike jump (SPJ), block jump (BLJ), 10-m sprint, -test change of direction speed (T-CODS), maximal strength, and Wingate anaerobic power test were assessed both before and after the training intervention.
The CAF-3 to 6 and CAF-6 groups showed more gains ( < 0.05) than the CAF-3 and PL groups in the CMVJ (7.6 and 6.9% vs. 4.3 and 4.1%), SPJ (2.5 and 2.3% vs. 1.4 and 1.4%), BLJ (1.1 and 1.0% vs. 0.7 and 0.7%), 10-m sprint (-7.5% and -7.4% vs. -5.2% and -5.0%), T-CODS (-5.4% and -5.2% vs. -3.8% and -3.5%), 1RM strength (5.2 and 5.3% vs. 2.5 and 2.4%), peak power (10.1 and 9.4% vs. 6.2 and 6.0%) and mean power (8.7 and 8.2% vs. 5.1 and 4.9%), respectively, following the training period. However, no significant ( > 0.05) differences were observed between the CAF-3 to 6 CAF-6 in the magnitude of adaptations in the performance of players after training period.
In summary, elevated caffeine intake serves as an ergogenic aid to enhance exercise performance adaptations in volleyball athletes. Furthermore, a progressive CAF loading strategy appears to be as effective as maintaining a consistent dosage throughout a 4-week PJT program. This approach presents a viable option for CAF supplementation, potentially attenuating total CAF usage while eliciting similar training benefits.
先前的研究已证实，运动员摄入咖啡因（CAF）有助于增强适应性；然而，在短期干预期间确定最佳的咖啡因补充方法仍不明确。本研究旨在探讨在进行增强式跳跃训练（PJT）前1小时摄入不同剂量咖啡因（CAF）的策略如何影响男性排球运动员的运动表现适应性。
共有32名年轻排球运动员自愿参与本研究，并随机分为四组：3毫克/千克咖啡因组（CAF - 3，n = 8）、6毫克/千克咖啡因组（CAF - 6，n = 8）、从3毫克/千克逐渐增加到6毫克/千克咖啡因组（CAF - 3至6，n = 8）和安慰剂组（PL，n = 8）。所有运动员进行为期4周的PJT干预，每周三次，并在PJT课程前1小时以双盲方式摄入他们的CAF或PL。在训练干预前后评估反向纵跳（CMVJ）高度、扣球跳（SPJ）高度、拦网跳（BLJ）高度、10米冲刺速度、T字变向速度测试（T - CODS）、最大力量以及温盖特无氧功率测试。
在训练期后，CAF - 3至6组和CAF - 6组在CMVJ（分别为7.6%和6.9%，对比CAF - 3组和PL组的4.3%和4.1%）、SPJ（2.5%和2.3%，对比1.4%和1.4%）、BLJ（1.1%和1.0%，对比0.7%和0.7%）、10米冲刺（分别为-7.5%和-7.4%，对比-5.2%和-5.0%）、T - CODS（-5.4%和-5.2%，对比-3.8%和-3.5%）、1RM力量（5.2%和5.3%，对比2.5%和2.4%）、峰值功率（10.1%和9.4%，对比6.2%和6.0%）以及平均功率（8.7%和8.2%，对比5.1%和4.9%）方面的提升比CAF - 3组和PL组更多（P < 0.05）。然而，在训练期后，CAF - 3至6组和CAF - 6组之间运动员表现适应性的提升幅度没有显著差异（P > 0.05）。
总之，增加咖啡因摄入量可作为一种提高运动能力的辅助手段，增强排球运动员的运动表现适应性。此外，在为期4周的PJT计划中，逐渐增加CAF剂量的策略似乎与维持恒定剂量一样有效。这种方法为CAF补充提供了一个可行的选择，可能在获得类似训练益处的同时减少CAF的总摄入量。
