The effect of caffeine gum on the performance and salivary testosterone and cortisol levels in male fencers during a simulated competition round.
Subject Areas : Exercise Physiology and Performance
Baharak Moradi Kelardeh
1
(Assistant Professor. Dept. of Exercise Physiology, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.)
Keywords: Fencing, Cortisol, Testosterone, performance.,
Abstract :
In this research the effects of consuming caffeine gum during a simulated fencing competition in two parts of periodic and eliminating matches were examined. Fourteen epee weapon male fencers mean age 21.35 ± 2.02 years, the average height 178.05 ± 4.96 centimeters, and mean weight 77.47 ± 7.16 kg completed this double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced study. Fencers divided into placebo group (n=7) (PLC) and caffeine group (n=7) (CAF). Before simulated periodic and before eliminating fencing competitions, players chewed either CAF (400 mg) gum or PLC gum for 5 minutes. Salivary testosterone and cortisol concentrations, and performance (repetitious running test) were measured at baseline, pre-periodic competition, post-periodic competition, pre-eliminated competition, and post-eliminated competition. Caffeine consumption between periodic and elimination competitions had no effect on sprint performance (p=0.995). Sprint time increased after the first attempt in both tests (p=0.003). The first sprint was 3% slower than the initial speed (p=0.004). intake caffeine between periodic and elimination matches influenced salivary testosterone responses (p=0.021, partial-eta2 = 0.471), about 70 percent more in caffeine group vs. placebo group. No further between-trial effects were observed. also, salivary testosterone increased throughout fencing competition (p= 0.001, partial-eta2 = 0.538), about 38% more than baseline values. No differences were observed between baseline and pre-periodic phase (p =0.769). Fencing competitions affected the concentration of salivary cortisol (p=0.032) showing a significant increase from the baseline level before the second survey (p=0.020) and after the second survey (p=0.023). Caffeine consumption between the two halves had no significant effect on salivary cortisol concentration (p=0.098). Athletes and coaches can choose caffeine gum between competition or practice bouts because of the increases in salivary testosterone observed; we must notice that many factors such as caffeine doses and psychological propellant associated with increased motivation and high-intensity exercise performance.
1. Doyle T.P., Lutz R.S. Pellegrino J.K., et al. The effects of caffeine on arousal response time, accuracy , and performance in division I collegiate fencers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2016: 30(11)/3228–3235.
2. Daly JW, Fredholm BB. Caffeine: an atypical drug of dependence. Drug Alcohol Depend 1998;5:199–206. [PubMed: 9716941]
3. Lovallo WR, al'Absi M, Pincomb GA. Caffeine raises blood pressure during extended mental stress in borderline hypertensive men. Int J Behav Med 2000;7:183–8.
4. Arent, SM and Landers, DM. Arousal, anxiety, and performance: A Reexamination of the Inverted-U hypothesis. Res Q Exerc Sport 74: 436–444, 2003.
5. Landers, DM and Arent, SM. Arousal-performance relationships. In: Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth to Peak Performance. JM Williams, ed. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 2001. pp. 206–228.
6. Starkman MN, Schteingart DE, Schork MA. Cushing's syndrome after treatment: changes in cortisol and ACTH levels, and amelioration of the depressive syndrome. Psychiatry Res 1986;19:177–88. [PubMed: 3025905]
7. Lovallo WR, al'Absi M, Blick K, Whitsett TL, Wilson MF. Stress-like adrenocorticotropin responses to caffeine in young healthy men. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1996;55:365–9. [PubMed: 8951977]
8. Temple JL, Bernard C, Lipshultz SE, Czachor JD, Westphal JA, Mestre MA. The Safety of Ingested Caffeine: A Comprehensive Review. Front Psychiatry. 2017;8:80-. doi: https:// doi. org/ 10. 3389/ fpsyt. 2017. 00080. PubMed PMID: 28603504
9. Ryu KY, Roh J. The Effects of High Peripubertal Caffeine Exposure on the Adrenal Gland in Immature Male and Female Rats. Nutrients. 2019;11(5). Epub 2019/05/01. doi: https:// doi. org/ 10. 3390/ nu110 50951. PubMed PMID: 31035471; PMCID: PMC6566528.
10. Guessous I, Dobrinas M, Kutalik Z, Pruijm M, Ehret G, Maillard M, Bergmann S, Beckmann JS, Cusi D, Rizzi F, Cappuccio F, Cornuz J, Paccaud F, Mooser V, Gaspoz J-M, Waeber G, Burnier M, Vollenweider P, Eap CB, Bochud M. Caffeine intake and CYP1A2 variants associated with high caffeine intake protect non-smokers from hypertension. Hum Mol Genet. 2012;21(14):3283–92. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1093/ hmg/ dds137.
11. Kot M, Daniel WA. Caffeine as a marker substrate for testing cytochrome P450 activity in human and rat. Pharmacological reports : PR. 2008;60(6):789–97 Epub 2009/02/13 PubMed PMID: 19211970.
12. Beaven CM, Cook CJ, Gill ND. Significant strength gains observed in rugby players after specific resistance exercise protocols based on individual salivary testosterone responses. J Strength Cond Res 2008;22(2):419–25.
13. Sinha-Hikim I, Roth SM, Lee MI, Bhasin S. Testosterone-induced muscle hypertrophy is associated with an increase in satellite cell number in healthy, young men. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2003;285(1):E197-205.
14. Spiering BA, Kraemer WJ, Vingren JL, et al. Elevated endogenous testosterone concentrations potentiate muscle androgen receptor responses to resistance exercise. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2009;114(3–5):195–9.
15. Lee WJ, McClung J, Hand GA, Carson JA. Overload-induced androgen receptor expression in the aged rat hindlimb receiving nandrolone decanoate. J Appl Physiol 2003;94(3):1153–61.
16. Impellizzeri, FM, Rampinini, E, Castagna, C, Bishop, D, Ferrari Bravo, D, Tibaudi, A, and Wisloff, U. Validity of a repeated-sprint test for football. Int J Sports Med 29: 899–905, 2008.
17. Glover, F.E., Caudle, W.M., Giudice, F.D., et al. The association between caffeine intake and testosterone: NHANES 2013–2014. Glover et al. Nutrition Journal (2022) 21:33.
18. Cole E, Grillo A, Vrshek-Schallhorn S. The Moderating Effects of Regular Caffeine Use on Cortisol Reactivity under Explicit Negative-Evaluative Stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2023. 153, Supplement, 106202
19. Magkos, F and Kavouras, SA. Caffeine use in sports, pharmacokinetics in man, and cellular mechanisms of action. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 45: 535–562, 2005.
20. Lupien SJ, Gillin CJ, Hauger RL. Working memory is more sensitive than declarative memory to the acute effects of corticosteroids: a dose-response study in humans. Behav Neurosci 1999;113:420–30.
21. Monaco L, Conti M. Localization of Adenosine Receptors in Rat Testicular Cells1. Biol Reprod. 1986;35(2):258–66. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1095/ biolr eprod 35.2. 258.
22. Dufau ML, Tsuruhara T, Horner KA, Podesta E, Catt KJ. Intermediate role of adenosine 3’:5’-cyclic monophosphate and protein kinase during gonadotropin- induced steroidogenesis in testicular interstitial cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977;74(8):3419–23. Epub 1977/08/01. doi: https:// doi. org/ 10. 1073/ pnas. 74.8. 3419. PubMed PMID: 198785; PMCID: PMC431588.
23. Russell, M, West, DJ, Harper, LD, Cook, CJ, and Kilduff, LP. Halftime strategies to enhance second-half performance in team-sports players: A review and recommendations. Sports Med 45: 353–364, 2016.
24. Ryan, EJ, Kim, CH, Fickes, EJ,Williamson, M, Muller, MD, Barkley, JE, Gunstad, J, and Glickman, EL. Caffeine gum and cycling performance: A timing study. J Strength Cond Res 27: 259–264, 2013.
25. Russell, M, West, DJ, Briggs, MA, Bracken, RM, Cook, CJ, Giroud, T, Gill, N, and Kilduff, LP. A passive heat maintenance strategy implemented during a simulated half-time improves lower body power output and repeated sprint ability in professional Rugby Union players. PLoS One 10: e0119374, 2016.
26. Smart, D, Hopkins, WG, Quarrie, KL, and Gill, N. The relationship between physical fitness and game behaviours in rugby union players. Eur J Sport Sci 1(14 Suppl): S8–S17, 2014.
27. Duthie, G, Pyne, D, and Hooper, S. Applied physiology and game analysis of rugby union. Sports Med 33: 973–991, 2003.
28. Russell M, Reynold NA, Crowther BT, Cook, CJ, and Kilduff LP. Physiological and performance effects of caffeine consumed during a simulated half-time by professional academy rugby union players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2020. 34(1)/145–151.
