Caffeinated Gum Enhances External Work During Perceptually Regulated Cycling in Well-Trained Male Athletes
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Rehabilitation, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310030, China
- 2Faculty for Physical Education, Shanghai International Study University, Shanghai 201620, China
- 3Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China
- 4School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
- 5Faculty of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, China
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.
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BibTeX
@article{chen2026caffeinated,
title = {{Caffeinated Gum Enhances External Work During Perceptually Regulated Cycling in Well-Trained Male Athletes}},
author = {Nan Chen and Yifei Xia and Linyin Xu and Jue Liu and Li Ding and Jin Huang and Yinhang Cao and Yixiang Peng},
journal = {Nutrients},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/nu18213639},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/21/3639},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Caffeinated Gum Enhances External Work During Perceptually Regulated Cycling in Well-Trained Male Athletes
AU - Nan Chen
AU - Yifei Xia
AU - Linyin Xu
AU - Jue Liu
AU - Li Ding
AU - Jin Huang
AU - Yinhang Cao
AU - Yixiang Peng
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/31
JO - Nutrients
DO - 10.3390/nu18213639
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/21/3639
AB - 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.
SN - 2072-6643
ER -