Nutritionally Enriched Coffee Shown To Improve Aerobic Performance

Recently, a new brand of coffee (JavaFit; Javalution Coffee Co., Inc.) has been suggested to have a greater thermogenic effect (increasing caloric expenditure) and potentially enhance physical performance. In addition to an enhanced caffeine concentration, JavaFit coffee contains several ingredients that include chromium polynicotinate, Garcinia cambogia, and Citrus aurantium that are marketed by the company as enhancing weight loss and improving athletic performance.

The purpose of this study was to compare nutritionally enriched JavaFit coffee (JF) to commercially available decaffeinated coffee (P) with regard to impact on endurance and anaerobic power performance. Ten subjects (8 men, 2 women) performed two 30-second Wingate anaerobic power tests and 2 cycle ergometer tests (75% O2max) to exhaustion. No differences were seen between JF and P in any of the power performance measures. However, time to exhaustion was significantly higher in JF compared with P. A nutritionally-enriched coffee beverage appears to enhance time to exhaustion during aerobic exercise, but does not provide an ergogenic benefit during anaerobic exercise.

The results of this study suggest that consuming a nutritionally enriched coffee may provide an ergogenic benefit during endurance exercise, but is limited in enhancing short-duration, high-intensity exercise performance. It should be noted that collegiate athletes using this product may test positive for synephrine. Synephrine is on the National Collegiate Athletic Association's banned list of performance-enhancing drugs, but not that of the World Anti-Doping Association or of the United States Anti-Doping Association.

Hoffman J, Kang J, Ratamess N, Jennings P, Mangine G, Faigenbaum A. (2007). Effect of nutritionally enriched coffee consumption on aerobic and anaerobic exercise performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21(2): 556-559.