Investigation of the Effects of Caffeine Intake on Reaction Time, Acceleration, Speed and Balance in Short Distance Runners

Abstract

The aims of this study is to examine the effects of caffeine intake in sprinters on reaction time, speed, acceleration and balance. A total of 31 sprinters (18 female, 13 male) from the athletics team of university faculty of sports sciences participated in the study. Sprinters were divided into two groups, caffeine and placebo, and their balance, reaction time, 30-meter running time and 15-meter acceleration performances were measured. The Wilcoxon t-Test and the Mann-Whitney U test were applied to the data obtained on the SPSS 23.0 package program. As a result of the study, the number of errors in the balance test decreased significantly in both the experimental group and the control group while a significant decrease was observed in block takeoff reaction time only in the experimental group. In conclusion, it was determined that while caffeine intake did not have a significant effect on acceleration and running times, block take off reaction time created a significant difference in the experimental group and could provide an advantage to the sprinters. Therefore, it can be said that caffeinated gum may be a good ergogenic aid to improve reaction performance in sprinters.