This study examined the acute effects of caffeinated chewing gum on volleyball performance in trained female volleyball players. Caffeine is commonly used by athletes to improve performance, but less is known about whether caffeinated gum is useful during volleyball-specific activity.
Participants completed three testing sessions in a randomized crossover design. In one session, they chewed placebo gum. In another session, they chewed caffeinated gum containing a single 300 mg dose of caffeine. In the third session, they received the same total amount of caffeine as three separate 100 mg doses given at 30-minute intervals.
The study assessed volleyball-specific skill performance, including attack, block, and defense efficiency, during a volleyball-specific skill game. Vertical jump height, heart rate, perceived exertion, side effects, and condition guessing were also recorded.