SynthesisFrontiers in physiology2026
Acute caffeine supplementation and cycling time-trial performance across different task durations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Background/objectives: Acute caffeine (CAF) ingestion may enhance cycling time-trial (TT) performance, but its ergogenic effects may be expressed differently across TT tasks with markedly different durations. Utilizing the power-duration relationship and critical power framework, this systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of acute pre-exercise CAF ingestion on cycling TT performance and compared effect estimates between prespecified short-duration (≤10 min) and long-duration (≥20 min) TT tasks. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines and PROSPERO registration (CRD420261334904), five databases were searched from inception to 14 January 2026 for randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in healthy cyclists. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted using standardized mean differences (SMDs; Hedges' Results: Twenty-three trials were included. CAF reduced TT completion time (SMD = -0.32, 95% CI -0.49 to -0.16; Conclusions: The findings of the present study indicate that acute pre-exercise caffeine ingestion can provide a small but practically meaningful benefit for cycling TT performance, primarily reflected in reduced completion time across the included prespecified short-duration (≤10 min) and long-duration (≥20 min) TT tasks. The increase in mean power output was mainly evident in short-duration TT tasks, suggesting that improved average mechanical power output may play an important role in short-duration performance gains, whereas improvements in long-duration TT tasks may involve additional performance-related factors beyond mean power output. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261334904, identifier CRD420261334904.
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