The Study
Effects of acute caffeine ingestion on muscle strength, muscular endurance, rating of perceived exertion, and pain perception during strength exercise until the failure
This study tested if drinking caffeine before lifting weights helps people do more reps and feel less tired. It found that, on average, people did a few more reps and felt less pain when they had caffeine. But it only tested 13 people, so we can't say it works the same for everyone.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Caffeine doesn't make you stronger in one big lift, but it helps you do more reps before getting tired and makes the workout feel less painful.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 548 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — if you're training to exhaustion, caffeine lets you push harder and feel less discomfort, helping you get more work done without getting stronger in single lifts.
- 2People did more reps with caffeine: up to 90% of their max strength (bench press, squat) and 50% max (bench, squat, leg press).
- 3They felt less tired and less pain during hard sets.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Sport Sciences for Health
Year
2023
Authors
E. M. Araújo, Leandro P. Gontijo, R. Oliveira, C. Sousa, H. J. C. Júnior, S. Aguiar
Related Content
Claims (6)
Caffeine makes people feel like they are working harder during exercise and increases their motivation to work out, but it does not cause muscles to grow unless the physical load on the muscles is increased.
Consuming 5 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight lowers the feeling of effort during moderate-intensity weightlifting in young, healthy adults, due to reduced fatigue signaling in the central nervous system.
Taking 5 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight before lifting weights does not change the maximum amount of weight a person can lift in one repetition compared to taking a placebo.
Taking 5 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight before a weightlifting session increases the number of repetitions a person can complete to muscle failure at both high and moderate weights.
Taking 5 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight before intense weightlifting reduces the sensation of pain during maximal effort exercises, especially during the bench press, by altering how pain signals are processed.
Taking 5 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight before a weight workout increases strength and performance equally in the chest, legs, and back, suggesting the effect is throughout the body rather than limited to specific muscles.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.