Fast-Acting Caffeine Strategy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Ergogenic Effects of Caffeine Chewing Gum on Physical Performance
Study Details
This systematic review and meta-analysis included 25 studies and 390 participants, examining the acute effects of caffeine chewing gum on physical performance 🔍
Here are the key findings ⬇️
Key Findings
☕ Caffeine gum produced a trivial but significant overall performance benefit versus placebo (SMD = 0.195)
📉 Heterogeneity was very low at 4%, suggesting reasonably consistent findings
🏃 Aerobic endurance showed the largest effect, with a small improvement (SMD = 0.258)
⚡ Anaerobic performance also improved significantly, although the effect was trivial (SMD = 0.186)
⤴️ Jump performance showed a similarly small benefit (SMD = 0.183)
🏋️ Muscular strength and endurance did not significantly improve overall
🎯 Trained athletes benefited (SMD = 0.228), while recreationally active participants showed no meaningful effect
🧠 Low and moderate habitual caffeine users showed significant improvements, whereas high habitual users did not
⚠️ Only 14 high-caffeine users contributed to that subgroup, so conclusions around tolerance remain tentative
⏱️ Chewing for 10 min produced a small significant benefit, whereas 5 min did not
💊 Most studies used 2–4 mg/kg caffeine, with ~3 mg/kg most common
📈 Higher doses were associated with greater benefits, although this dose-response relationship was not fully robust in sensitivity analyses
⏰ Timing before exercise did not significantly influence performance, but most studies administered gum within 15 min of exercise
💧 Buccal absorption allows circulating caffeine to rise within roughly 5–10 min
📊 Evidence certainty ranged from low to very low, and 359 of 390 participants were male
Conclusion
Caffeine gum appears most useful when athletes need caffeine quickly, such as shortly before competition, during half-time or between events; ~2–4 mg/kg chewed for ~10 min is a practical approach, although expected performance gains are small ✅
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42714767/
Performance Nutrition Digest is powered by Healthspan Elite ⚡️
Healthspan Elite is a science-led sports nutrition range developed in collaboration with leading experts to support athletic performance, recovery, and health.
Use code: TCDIGEST25 for 25% off at https://www.healthspanelite.co.uk/ 💪