Research summary · Nutrition and energy
Caffeine and cycling performance in women
A female-specific meta-analysis estimates the acute effect of caffeine on cycling performance outcomes.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Systematic review and three-level meta-analysis
- Journal
- International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
- Population / context
- Female cyclists and cycling trials
What the publication reports
Nineteen randomised crossover studies included 235 participants. The pooled effect was small (standardised mean difference 0.21) and graded high certainty, supporting a modest average improvement rather than a large or universal response.
Limits and interpretation
Menstrual-cycle phase and hormonal-contraceptive use were incompletely represented, protocols varied and some studies had risk-of-bias concerns. Group averages do not establish an individual dose, benefit or safety profile.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
Addressing the Evidence Gap: Ergogenic Effects of Caffeine on Cycling Performance in Females—A Systematic Review and Three-Level Meta-Analysis
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 42208612DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2026-0022Reader discussion
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