Does caffeine help you get fitter faster?
Caffeine-augmented Sprint interval training outcomes in obese women: an examination by inter-individual analysis on physical and physiological adaptive responses
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Caffeine improved adipokine levels (irisin SMD=0.42, leptin SMD=-0.23) more than fitness gains.
Most assume caffeine helps through energy or fat oxidation—but here, hormone changes tied to fat metabolism were stronger than strength or endurance gains.
Practical Takeaways
Drink a cup of coffee (or 200–300mg caffeine) 60 minutes before your 3 weekly sprint workouts if you're overweight and trying to lose fat or improve blood sugar.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Caffeine improved adipokine levels (irisin SMD=0.42, leptin SMD=-0.23) more than fitness gains.
Most assume caffeine helps through energy or fat oxidation—but here, hormone changes tied to fat metabolism were stronger than strength or endurance gains.
Practical Takeaways
Drink a cup of coffee (or 200–300mg caffeine) 60 minutes before your 3 weekly sprint workouts if you're overweight and trying to lose fat or improve blood sugar.
Publication
Related Content
Claims (6)
Taking caffeine before exercise may make the experience more enjoyable, but it does not cause muscles to grow larger or stronger over time.
In overweight and obese women, taking 3 mg/kg of caffeine before sprint interval training for 12 weeks leads to larger decreases in fasting blood glucose and more favorable changes in certain metabolic signaling proteins compared to taking a placebo during the same training program.
Taking caffeine before high-intensity sprint workouts does not lead to greater improvements in blood fat levels—such as cholesterol and triglycerides—than doing the workouts without caffeine, in women who are overweight or obese.
In sedentary overweight and obese women, taking a caffeine dose of 3 mg per kilogram of body weight 60 minutes before three weekly sprint training sessions for 12 weeks is associated with larger decreases in body fat, greater gains in leg strength, and improved aerobic fitness compared to taking a placebo.
Taking caffeine before high-intensity interval workouts may lead to more consistent changes in body fat, muscle strength, heart fitness, blood sugar, and fat-related hormones among overweight and obese women.