Effects of Repeated Low-Dose Caffeine Ingestion During a Night of Total Sleep Deprivation on Endurance Performance and Psychological State in Young Recreational Runners

Caffeine is frequently consumed by athletes to maintain alertness in conditions of sleep loss. However, the effect of caffeine ingestion during total sleep deprivation during aerobic exercise remains questionable.

The present study aimed to assess the effects of repeated intake of low-dose caffeine during a night of total sleep deprivation on endurance performance and psychological states.

Twelve recreational runners performed four test sessions in a double-blind randomized order after a placebo or 6 mg/kg of caffeine ingestion after a baseline night (BN) or three doses of 2 mg/kg of caffeine during a night of total sleep deprivation (TSD). At each session, they completed an exhaustive run around a 400 m athletics track and performed the Feeling Scale test. ANOVA with repeated measures followed by paired t-tests was used to analyze the data.

In comparison with BN, the TSD condition significantly impaired running performance (P < 0.001). On the contrary, caffeine administration improved endurance running performance (P < 0.001) and increased feeling of well-being (P < 0.05) after TSD night as compared to placebo.

Repeated ingestion of low-dose caffeine is an effective way to mitigate the negative effects of total sleep deprivation on endurance performance and mood states.