Effect of caffeine supplementation on anaerobic and aerobic performance in sleep-restricted male college soccer players

This study aimed to explore the effects of sleep restriction of <= 5 h within 24 h on anaerobic and aerobic performance in male college soccer players and evaluated the effects of acute supplementation of 3 mg & sdot;kg(-1) caffeine on the aerobic and anaerobic performance of college male soccer players under sleep restriction. Methods: 10 college male soccer players were recruited, and a randomized crossover experimental design was adopted. The subjects received three intervention treatments in a randomized crossover order: Normal sleep night (NSN), sleep restriction night supplemented with placebo (SRP), and sleep restriction night supplemented with 3 mg & sdot;kg(-1) caffeine (SRC), and participated in the Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) and 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (30-15(IFT)). Results: The main effect of the RAST and the 30-15(IFT) scores was significant (P<0.05). Post hoc analyses showed that the peak power, mean power, peak power/body mess, mean power/body mess, peak velocity mean velocity, fatigue index of the RAST, and the velocity of the intermittent fitness test (V-IFT), maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), and time to exhaustion (TTE) of the 30-15(IFT) in the SRP group were significantly lower than those of the NSN group (P < 0.05), and the total time of the RAST was significantly higher than that of the NSN group (P < 0.05); there were significant differences between the V-IFT, VO2max and TTE indicators tested at 30-15(IFT) between the SRC group and the SRP group (P < 0.05). Still, other indicators had no significant differences (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Sleep restriction harms the anaerobic repeated sprint and aerobic performance of college soccer players; acute supplementation of 3 mg & sdot;kg(-1) of caffeine can effectively reduce the negative impact of insufficient sleep the night before on the aerobic endurance performance of college soccer players. Athletes or coaches should consider caffeine supplementation as a strategy to alleviate the negative impacts of sleep deprivation, but individual tolerance and potential side effects should be taken into account.