The Effects of Combined Creatine and Caffeine Supplementation: Optimizing Exercise Performance
Date
2-19-2025
Faculty Mentor
Majid Koozehchian, Kinesiology; Gina Mabrey, Kinesiology
Files
Submission Type
Conference Proceeding
Location
11:00-11:10am | Houston Cole Library, 11th Floor
Description
Caffeine and creatine are the most commonly used supplements to enhance exercise performance. Creatine primarily supports anaerobic energy systems in the body for activities involving muscle force, power, muscular endurance, and sprints. The intake of creatine increases the availability of creatine and phosphocreatine, enhancing the energy supply for the phosphagen system. This uptake promotes quicker recovery, improved performance on repetitive tasks, and increased total work during a session. Inversely, caffeine has been shown to have ergogenic effects on both anaerobic and aerobic activities. Due to its chemical structure, caffeine can easily reach the brain, allowing it to impact the central nervous system (CNS). Once absorbed, it begins blocking adenosine, which promotes tiredness and relaxation. Moreover, caffeine increases spinal and motor cortex excitability and promotes the release of endorphins and dopamine. This enhances motor function, improves mood and motivation, and reduces the sensation of pain. Although both supplements have well-documented individual benefits, their combined effects remain underexplored, despite their widespread use by athletes. Therefore, understanding the interactions between these supplements may help improve performance-enhancing strategies. Current literature shows evidence relevant to the ergogenic effects of caffeine intake during or after a creatine-loading phase. Findings indicate that taking 5–6 mg/kg of caffeine an hour before exercising, after a 5–6-day creatine loading phase (0.3 g/kg/day), improved performance in tasks including strength, endurance, and sprints. However, conflicting evidence has been published, specifically research that evaluated long-term supplementation or habitual caffeine use during a creatine loading period. Results indicated no improvements in muscle strength or speed. Some protocols show performance benefits, while others show no improvements or even a decreased muscle performance when creatine and caffeine are taken simultaneously. One explanation could be that creatine and caffeine can hinder performance due to a calcium imbalance. This occurs because creatine promotes calcium clearance for muscle relaxation, while caffeine stimulates calcium release for muscle contraction, potentially overwhelming these systems. Despite conflicting results, the evidence suggests that the timing of caffeine intake is essential for exercise improvements. Athletes can maximize their exercise performance by taking caffeine one hour before exercising, following a creatine loading phase. Furthermore, understanding the relationship between caffeine and creatine can help inform sports dietitians and coaches, improving their approach to athletes using these supplements. Future research can improve by standardizing protocols to minimize variables and enhance the understanding of their effects. Additionally, investigating the physiological processes underlying the combined ergogenic effects of creatine and caffeine is crucial. Finally, including various of demographics, such as women, senior citizens, and players from different sports, can broaden the application of the results.
Keywords
student research, kinesiology
Rights
This content is the property of Jacksonville State University and is intended for non-commercial use. Video and images may be copied for personal use, research, teaching or any "fair use" as defined by copyright law. Users are asked to acknowledge Jacksonville State University. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@jsu.edu.
Disciplines
Exercise Science
Recommended Citation
Elizarraras, Luis, "The Effects of Combined Creatine and Caffeine Supplementation: Optimizing Exercise Performance" (2025). JSU Student Symposium 2025. 31.
https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/ce_jsustudentsymp_2025/31
