Acute Effects of Caffeine Supplementation on Mechanical Power Output and Biomechanical Parameters of Vertical Jump in Male Youth Weightlifters

Introduction: Caffeine is one of the most widely used ergogenic supplements in strength and power sports. Given the critical role of rapid force production in weightlifting, examining the effects of caffeine on biomechanical indicators can provide deeper insight into its performance-enhancing mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of caffeine ingestion on mechanical power and biomechanical parameters of vertical jump performance in young male weightlifters. Methods: Sixteen young male weightlifters participated in a two-condition crossover design (caffeine vs. placebo). Participants ingested ۶ mg/kg of caffeine and subsequently performed a vertical jump test on a force platform. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Caffeine significantly increased mechanical power (p=۰.۰۰۱), jump height (p=۰.۰۰۲), rate of force development (RFD) (p=۰.۰۰۳), and peak ground reaction force (GRF) (p=۰.۰۰۸), while reducing ground contact time (p=۰.۰۰۶). These findings indicate that caffeine positively influences explosive performance and the speed of force generation. Conclusion: Acute caffeine ingestion enhances explosive performance in young male weightlifters and can be considered an effective ergogenic aid for strength and speed-based activities. Further research with larger and more diverse samples is recommended to expand the generalizability of these findings.

Keywords:

Caffeine , Explosive power , Vertical jump , Biomechanics , Weightlifting