caffeinated energy drink improves jump performance in adolescent basketball players

• Published in: Amino acids Vol. 46; no. 5; pp. 1333 - 1341
• Main Authors: Abian-Vicen, Javier, Puente, Carlos, Salinero, Juan José, González-Millán, Cristina, Areces, Francisco, Muñoz, Gloria, Muñoz-Guerra, Jesús, Del Coso, Juan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer-Verlag 01.05.2014; Springer Vienna; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: absorption; Adolescent; Adolescents; Analytical Chemistry; Athletes; Athletic Performance; Basketball; Beverages; Biochemical Engineering; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Body weight; Caffeine; Caffeine - analysis; Caffeine - metabolism; Endurance capacity; Energy drinks; Energy Drinks - analysis; excretion; Humans; Ingestion; Life Sciences; Male; Neurobiology; Original Article; Physical Endurance; Placebos; Players; Proteomics; taste; urine; Free throw; Technique; Basketball; Jump performance; Ergogenic aids; Caffeine
• ISSN: 0939-4451; 1438-2199; 1438-2199
• DOI: 10.1007/s00726-014-1702-6

This study aimed at investigating the effects of a commercially available energy drink on shooting precision, jump performance and endurance capacity in young basketball players. Sixteen young basketball players (first division of a junior national league; 14.9 ± 0.8 years; 73.4 ± 12.4 kg; 182.3 ± 6.5 cm) volunteered to participate in the research. They ingested either (a) an energy drink that contained 3 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight or (b) a placebo energy drink with the same appearance and taste. After 60 min for caffeine absorption, they performed free throw shooting and three-point shooting tests. After that, participants performed a maximal countermovement jump (CMJ), a repeated maximal jumps test for 15 s (RJ-15), and the Yo–Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo–Yo IR1). Urine samples were obtained before and 30 min after testing. In comparison to the placebo, the ingestion of the caffeinated energy drink did not affect precision during the free throws (Caffeine = 70.7 ± 11.8 % vs placebo = 70.3 ± 11.0 %; P = 0.45), the three-point shooting test (39.9 ± 11.8 vs 38.1 ± 12.8 %; P = 0.33) or the distance covered in the Yo–Yo IR1 (2,000 ± 706 vs 1,925 ± 702 m; P = 0.19). However, the energy drink significantly increased jump height during the CMJ (38.3 ± 4.4 vs 37.5 ± 4.4 cm; P < 0.05) mean jump height during the RJ-15 (30.2 ± 3.6 vs 28.8 ± 3.4 cm; P < 0.05) and the excretion of urinary caffeine (1.2 ± 0.7 vs 0.1 ± 0.1 μg/mL; P < 0.05). The intake of a caffeine-containing energy drink (3 mg/kg body weight) increased jump performance although it did not affect basketball shooting precision.