Can caffeine help sleep-deprived runners perform better?

In a recent randomized crossover trial done with male runners, researchers looked at whether supplementing with caffeine could offset the negative effects of one night of partial sleep deprivation on running performance during a 10k. 

How was the study conducted?

To do this, researchers looked at 27 young male recreational runners, who regularly ingest caffeine of less than 200 milligrams per day (which equates to about two cups of coffee, for reference).

Participants completed a 10k time trial on a treadmill four times. The night before each trial, the runners either had partial sleep deprivation or slept normally, and 45 minutes before their time trial, runners took 6mg of caffeine per kg of body weight or a placebo.

The 4 conditions looked like:

• 3 hours of sleep + caffeine
• 8 hours of sleep + caffeine
• 3 hours of sleep + placebo
• 8 hours of sleep + placebo

Participants slept at the research facility the day before each time trial, so researchers were able to control and standardize those conditions. Each runner also recorded their diet for three days before their first time trial, and then were to always eat the same diet before all the following testing days. Participants had at least seven days between each time trial.

What did they find out?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, runners performed 5% slower after the condition of three hours of sleep plus the placebo, compared to when they had normal sleep and the placebo.

But, when the runners ingested the caffeine, runners saw an improvement in performance after they slept just three hours, with a finishing time of 7.7% faster than when they took only the placebo with the three hours of sleep.

Finishing times were similar in the partial sleep deprivation + caffeine condition compared to both normal sleep conditions, meaning that caffeine seemed to fully reverse the negative effect of partial sleep deprivation on endurance performance.

So, what does it all mean?

The findings suggest that acute caffeine supplementation can have a positive effect on running performance after one night of partial sleep deprivation, potentially by influencing physiological and perceptual responses during exercise.

So, be sure to pack up those caffeine gels if you’re heading to a race where you might be sleep deprived!

Read the study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39438312/

Are you a fast or slow caffeine metabolizer?

Find out by getting your genetics tested, and searching to see if you have the slow or fast gene! Shop DNA testing here.

More about caffeine and your DNA: https://nutritional-revolution.com/does-caffeine-really-improve-performance/

Caffeine Products we Recommend

• Run Gum
• BPN Caffeinated Gels
• Huma Plus Gels
• Precision Fuel 90 Gels
• Precision Fuel 30 Gels
• Honey Stinger Caffeinated Gels
• GU Caffeinated Gels
• NeverSecond Caffeinated Gels
• Skratch Caffeinated Chews
• GU Liquid Energy Caffeinated

More NR links with helpful caffeine information:

• NR Podcast Episode 101 with Dr. Bryan Saunders: https://nutritional-revolution.com/podcasts/caffeine-supplementation-exercise-performance-genetics/
• Which Form of Caffeine will Kick in the Fastest: https://nutritional-revolution.com/which-form-of-caffeine-will-kick-in-the-fastest/