Caffeine and Sport Climbing Performance

NCT ID: NCT07333443

Last Updated: 2026-01-12

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 13 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-01-08
• Study Completion Date: 2025-10-30

Brief Summary

To determine the effects of ingesting caffeine at a dose of 3 mg/kg body mass on pull-up performance and handgrip-related measures in trained climbers.

Detailed Description

Introduction: Caffeine is widely recognized as a performance-enhancing substance across numerous athletic disciplines; however, its role in sport climbing has received comparatively limited scientific attention. Because climbing performance relies heavily on grip force, explosive upper-body strength, and localized muscular endurance, this investigation evaluated the short-term impact of a low caffeine dose on climbing-relevant performance outcomes.

Objective: To determine the effects of ingesting caffeine at a dose of 3 mg/kg body mass on pull-up performance and handgrip-related measures in trained climbers.

Methods: Thirteen trained young male climbers participated in a triple-blind, randomized, crossover study design, completing two experimental conditions (caffeine and placebo). Performance assessments included a pull-up one-repetition maximum (1RM), a pull-up power test conducted at multiple external loads, a pull-up endurance test, and several grip performance evaluations, namely maximal dead-hang duration, maximal dead-hang force, and rate of force development (RFD).

Conditions

Climbing; Caffeine

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

Placebo

0 mg/kg of caffeine

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Placebo supplementation was provide to young male climbers.

Caffeine

3 mg/kg of caffeine

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Acute and moderate dose of caffeine (3 mg/kg body mass)

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Caffeine supplementation was provide to young male climbers.

Interventions

Acute and moderate dose of caffeine (3 mg/kg body mass)

Caffeine supplementation was provide to young male climbers.

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Placebo

Placebo supplementation was provide to young male climbers.

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy individuals
• Age between 18 and 40 years
• At least three months of continuous climbing practice
• Ability to hang for at least 5 seconds from an 18-mm edge
• Ability to perform at least one strict body-weight pull-up

Exclusion Criteria

• Any musculoskeletal or medical condition preventing completion of the experimental protocol
• Participation in less than three training sessions per week or a total training volume <150 min/week
• Use of medications or dietary supplements known to affect caffeine metabolism

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Eligible Sex: MALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Alcala

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Alberto Pérez-López

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Alberto Pérez López, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Alcala

Locations

Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad de Alcalá

Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain

Countries

Spain

Other Identifiers

CEIP/2024/5/117

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

CEIP/2024/5/117

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id