{
  "abstract": "Background: While caffeine may lower ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) or increase power output at a given RPE, whether caffeinated gum produces these effects during perceptually regulated exercise remains unclear. Aim: This study examined whether caffeinated gum increases self-selected cycling output at regulated-RPE in well-trained male athletes. Methods: Twelve well-trained male athletes (age: 21 ± 2 years; body mass: 77.3 ± 6.0 kg; VO2peak: 47 ± 4 mL/kg/min) completed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trials separated by 7 days. Athletes chewed caffeinated gum (6 mg/kg) or placebo for 15 min before two 10 min cycling stages at RPE 4 and 7 (0–10 OMNI Scale). Cadence, power output, oxygen uptake, heart rate, and blood lactate concentration were measured. Results: Caffeinated gum significantly increased cadence (RPE 4: 72 ± 7 vs. 66 ± 10 rpm, p = 0.02; RPE 7: 77 ± 9 vs. 71 ± 11 rpm, p = 0.04), total work (53 ± 10 vs. 48 ± 10 kJ, p < 0.01; 87 ± 12 vs. 77 ± 14 kJ, p < 0.01), mean power output (88 ± 16 vs. 79 ± 16 W, p < 0.01; 146 ± 20 vs. 129 ± 24 W, p < 0.01) and peak power output (97 ± 18 vs. 88 ± 17 W, p < 0.01; 166 ± 27 vs. 147 ± 29 W, p = 0.01). Oxygen uptake was also higher in the caffeine condition at both RPE 4 (1.58 ± 0.12 vs. 1.42 ± 0.16 L/min, p = 0.005) and RPE 7 (2.17 ± 0.25 vs. 2.01 ± 0.22 L/min, p = 0.045), whereas heart rate and blood lactate concentration did not differ significantly between conditions (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Caffeinated gum (6 mg/kg) enhances self-selected cycling work at prescribed RPEs, indicating that it alters perceptually regulated exercise intensity in well-trained males.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Rehabilitation, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310030, China",
    "Faculty for Physical Education, Shanghai International Study University, Shanghai 201620, China",
    "Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China",
    "School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China",
    "Faculty of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, China"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Nan Chen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yifei Xia",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2538-9118"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Linyin Xu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Jue Liu",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1634-9904"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Li Ding"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Jin Huang",
      "orcid": "0009-0006-1884-7666"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Yinhang Cao",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2323-3707"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Yixiang Peng",
      "orcid": "0009-0000-4333-8499"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bcq230bcq9wjv.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/nu18213639",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "bcq230bcq9wjv",
  "issns": [
    "2072-6643"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/21/3639",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-31",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bcq230bcq9wjv.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T00:26:35Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/nu18213639",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/21/3639"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "issn:2072-6643",
      "subfield": "nutrition"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Caffeinated Gum Enhances External Work During Perceptually Regulated Cycling in Well-Trained Male Athletes",
  "title_text": "Caffeinated Gum Enhances External Work During Perceptually Regulated Cycling in Well-Trained Male Athletes",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-05T00:21:09Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bcq230bcq9wjv",
  "venue": "Nutrients",
  "versions": []
}