Effect of caffeine on oxidative stress during maximum incremental exercise

• Published in: Journal of sports science & medicine Vol. 5; no. 4; pp. 621 - 628
• Main Authors: Olcina, Guillermo J, Muñoz, Diego, Timón, Rafael, Caballero, M Jesús, Maynar, Juan I, Córdova, Alfredo, Maynar, Marcos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Turkey Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 01.12.2006; Asist Group
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Biochemistry; Caffeine; Drug dosages; Employment; Exercise physiology; Free radicals; Heart rate; International relations; Lipid peroxidation; Lipids; Medical research; Metabolism; Metabolites; Muscle pain; Nutrition; Oxidative stress; Physical fitness; Sport science; Sports medicine; Vitamin C; Vitamin E; Spain; malonaldehyde; catecholamines; VO2 max; vitamins; Trimethylxanthine
• ISSN: 1303-2968; 1303-2968

Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is an habitual substance present in a wide variety of beverages and in chocolate-based foods and it is also used as adjuvant in some drugs. The antioxidant ability of caffeine has been reported in contrast with its pro- oxidant effects derived from its action mechanism such as the systemic release of catecholamines. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of caffeine on exercise oxidative stress, measuring plasma vitamins A, E, C and malonaldehyde (MDA) as markers of non enzymatic antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation respectively. Twenty young males participated in a double blind (caffeine 5mg·kg- 1 body weight or placebo) cycling test until exhaustion. In the exercise test, where caffeine was ingested prior to the test, exercise time to exhaustion, maximum heart rate, and oxygen uptake significantly increased, whereas respiratory exchange ratio (RER) decreased. Vitamins A and E decreased with exercise and vitamin C and MDA increased after both the caffeine and placebo tests but, regarding these particular variables, there were no significant differences between the two test conditions. The results obtained support the conclusion that this dose of caffeine enhances the ergospirometric response to cycling and has no effect on lipid peroxidation or on the antioxidant vitamins A, E and C. Key PointsCaffeine ingestion may improve maximal aerobic performance in non trained men.Cellular oxidative damage is not altered by caffeine ingestion in maximal aerobic exercises.Antioxidant response to exercise, vitamins A, E and C, is not modified by caffeine action in maximal aerobic efforts.