| Keywords |
Caffeine ; Eccentric contraction ; Muscular pain ; DOMS ; Myoglobin |
| Abstract |
The purpose of this research was to determine what effect the consumption of caffeine has on alleviating muscular pain induced by repeated eccentric contraction during exercise. For this, 17 male and female college students with no prior exercise experience who do not habitually consume caffeine classified control group (male=1, female=8, age=22.67±1.15 yrs, height=165.03±5.66 cm, body mass=57.62±6.40 kg, BMI=21.48±1.60 kg·m?²) and the experimental group with 3 mg·kg?¹ caffeine ingestion (male=2, female=6, age=21.20±1.40 yrs, height=165.74±5.53 cm, body mass=58.95±5.70 kg, BMI=21.67±1.81 kg·m?²). Both carried out backward walking at a 85-88 steps per minute rhythm on a treadmill with a ?15% elevation at a speed of 3 km·h?¹ for 30 minutes under 32±0.3oC temperature and 33.93±0.53% humidity. The energy consumed by each of the subjects was approximately 5-7.9 kcal·min?¹ varying by different physical traits. To determine the effect of caffeine in reducing muscular pain, the changes in body mass and myoglobin levels Pre and Post the experiment were comparatively analyzed, along with the record of the perception of quadriceps muscle pain level taken every 5 minutes. The results are as follows. First, there were no statistically significant reductions in body mass between the groups (p=.709). This data suggests that an increase in sweating volume was not stimulated, and as a result side effects such as an increase in temperature, or dehydration did not occur in experimental group. Secondly, the perception of quadriceps muscle pain level in the experimental group came out low (p=.003) and is noteworthy. As a result, the potential for caffeine to prevent or reduce DOMS (delay onset muscle soreness) was proven valid. Thirdly, there were no statistically significant increase in blood myoglobin levels between the groups (p=.624). By the results of the experiment, indicate that caffeine is effective in reducing both sensual pain as well as the physiological deterioration of the muscles. |