Low-dose Caffeine Ingestion Improves Mood and Cognitive Function After an Exhaustive Running Exercise in Young Recreational Runners

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of low-dose caffeine intake on mood and cognition before and after an endurance exercise. Methods: Thirteen physical education students performed two test sessions in a double-blind randomized order. At each session, participants ingested a capsule containing 3 mg/kg body mass of caffeine or a placebo. An hour later, they performed an exhaustive run around an outdoor athletic 400 m track. Psychological and cognitive tests were carried out before and after the run. Results: Relative to placebo, caffeine consumption improved attention by 11.5% (p < 0.05) and reaction time by 8.2% (p < 0.05), increased the sense of good feeling by 43% (p < 0.01), and lowered stress-feeling by 22.1% (p < 0.05), drowsiness by 22.7% (p < 0.01), and pain-sensation by 13.5% (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study highlighted that 3 mg/kg body mass caffeine intake enhanced mood and cognition at rest and after the exhaustive endurance exercise. These findings may guide future use of low-dose caffeine to optimize endurance performance.