Campbell, B. I., Downing, J., Kilpatrick, M., La Bounty, P., Elkins, A., Williams, S., dos Santos, M. G., Chang, T. Willey, S., & Kreider, R. (June 03, 2010). The effects of a commercially available energy drink on resistance training performance. Presentation 1929 at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; June 2-5.

This study determined the effects of a caffeine-containing, commercially available energy drink on resistance training performance in recreationally active Ss (N = 18). Ss ingested a commercially available energy drink (containing 160 mg of caffeine) or a placebo beverage that was matched for carbohydrate content and was similar in volume and texture. Forty-five minutes following ingestion of the energy drink or carbohydrate placebo, each S engaged in a resistance exercise bout consisting of four sets of bench press and four sets of leg press at an intensity of 80% 1 RM to failure on each set. The leg press and bench press sets were alternated and a rest period of approximately two minutes was provided between each set. Bench press total lifting volume, leg press total lifting volume, and whole body total lifting volume were measured.

There was no difference between treatments for bench press total lifting. For leg press total lifting volume and total lifting volume, the energy drink condition was significantly greater than the carbohydrate placebo condition.

Implication. A commercially available energy drink containing 160 mg of caffeine significantly increases the total lifting volume of four sets of a leg press exercise at an intensity of 80% 1 RM but does not improve bench press. Caffeine-carbohydrate ingestion prior to resistance exercise improves exercise performance differentially.

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