Acute effect of caffeine pre-resistance exercise supplementation on myocardial oxygen consumption, heart rate variability (HRV) and delayed onset muscle sourness (DOMS) in trained young men

Latif Nejad, Ronak; Damir Chi, Arslan; Mehrabani, Javad

doi:10.22038/mjms.2026.87556.4986

Acute effect of caffeine pre-resistance exercise supplementation on myocardial oxygen consumption, heart rate variability (HRV) and delayed onset muscle sourness (DOMS) in trained young men

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Ronak Latif Nejad ¹

Arslan Damir chi ¹

Javad Mehrabani ²

¹ Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

² Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

10.22038/mjms.2026.87556.4986

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of caffeine supplementation on heart rate variability (HRV), rate-pressure product (RPP), delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) following circuit resistance training. Ten trained male participants (average age: 22.44 ± 0.52 years), each with at least six months of resistance training experience, were involved in a single-blind, counterbalanced crossover design under caffeine and placebo conditions. Participants ingested either 6 mg/kg body weight of caffeine or a placebo after 8 hours of fasting, with a 3–6-day washout period between conditions.

Thirty minutes after ingestion, subjects performed a circuit resistance training protocol including hip thrust, sumo squat, leg extension, hamstring curl, calf raise, and groin exercises, completed in three rounds with short rest intervals. HRV, RPP, DOMS, and RPE were measured before and after the exercise.

Results indicated a significant decrease in HRV parameters RMSSD and HF, and a significant increase in LF and LF/HF ratio in both caffeine and placebo conditions post-exercise (p < 0.05). RPP values differed significantly during all recovery periods (p < 0.05), while RPE and muscle soreness levels decreased significantly post-exercise in both conditions. Additionally, maximum voluntary contraction of the gluteal muscles and pain perception also declined significantly after exercise.

Conclusion: Circuit resistance training independently influences HRV, RPP, RPE, and DOMS values. The ingestion of 6 mg/kg caffeine prior to exercise did not significantly alter these physiological and perceptual responses compared to the placebo condition.

Keywords

Heart rate variability

Resistance exercise

Caffeine supplementation

Delayed onset muscle soreness

Subjects