Effect of Caffeine on Elderly Men with Mild Functional Impairment

Background: Caffeine has been shown to improve physical performance in many studies in young adults, particularly athletes, but its effect on elderly individuals has not been well studied, particularly in those in early stages of functional decline. Methods: A double-blinded placebo controlled trial was performed in which 11 elderly subjects performed chair stands, a Timed Up-and-Go Test, Six Minute Walk Test, and knee extensions before and 1 h after consuming a 200 mg caffeine tablet or a placebo. Fatigue was measured using a 0–6 Likert scale. Data were analyzed using 2×2 (condition×time) repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: The ingestion of a single 200 mg tablet of caffeine did not significantly improve any of the physical performance measures studied or reduce fatigue. Conclusion: While caffeine has enhanced measures of physical performance in healthy younger and older individuals, short-term caffeine administration did not have this effect in a population of mildly functional impaired older people. As this population was older than those previously studied and we examined neuromuscular rather than cardiovascular factors, further research will be needed to establish if the effects of caffeine on neuromuscular performance attenuate at older ages, or are masked by the underlying causes of functional decline in such people