Effects of caffeine and acute exercise on the validity of a submaximal cycle ergometer test: a randomised, placebo-controlled crossover study

Key Points

• This study aims to evaluate how caffeine and recent exercise affect the validity of a cycle ergometer test for estimating VO₂max.
• Conducted a randomised, placebo-controlled crossover trial.
• Compared effects of caffeine and a placebo on test accuracy.
• Assessed the impact of strenuous exercise before testing on estimation errors.
• Caffeine did not significantly alter the accuracy of VO₂max estimation.
• Strenuous exercise prior to testing increased estimation errors more than caffeine consumption.