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The effects of a caffeine containing pre-workout supplement on β2-adrenergic and MAPK signaling during resistance exercise

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Abstract

Aim

The acute myocellular responses of caffeine supplementation during resistance exercise (RE) have not been investigated. β2-Adrenergic receptors (β2AR) may be a target of the stimulatory effects of caffeine and stimulate bioenergetic pathways including protein kinase A (PKA), and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK).

Purpose

Elucidate the effects of pre-workout supplementation on signaling responses to an acute RE bout.

Methods

In a randomized, counter-balanced, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject crossover study, ten resistance-trained males (mean ± SD; age = 22 ± 2.4 years, height = 175 ± 7 cm, body mass = 84.1 ± 11.8 kg) consumed a caffeine containing multi-ingredient pre-workout supplement (SUPP) or color and flavor matched placebo (PL) 60 min prior to an acute RE bout of barbell back squats. Pre- and post-exercise muscle biopsies were analyzed for the phosphorylation (p-) of β2AR, PKA, and MAPK (ERK, JNK, p38). Epinephrine was determined prior to supplementation (baseline; BL), after supplementation but prior to RE (PRE), and immediately after RE (POST).

Results

Epinephrine increased at PRE in SUPP (mean ± SE: 323 ± 34 vs 457 ± 68 pmol/l; p = 0.028), and was greatest at POST in the SUPP condition compared to PL (5140 ± 852 vs 2862 ± 498 pmol/l; p = 0.006). p-β2AR and p-MAPK increased post-exercise (p < 0.05) with no differences between conditions (p > 0.05). Pearson correlations indicated there was a relationship between epinephrine and p-β2AR in PL (r = − 0.810; p = 0.008), and p-β2AR and ERK in SUPP (r = 0.941; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Consumption of a caffeine containing pre-workout supplement improves performance, possibly through increases in pre-exercise catecholamines. However, the acute myocellular signaling responses were largely similar post-exercise.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

1RM:

One repetition maximum

β2-AR:

β2-Adrenergic receptors

ERK:

Extracellular signaling-regulated kinase 1/2

ELISA:

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

IR:

Infrared

JNK:

C-Jun NH2-terminal kinase

MAPK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

PKA:

Protein kinase A

PL:

Placebo

PVDF:

Polyvinylidene difluoride

RE:

Resistance exercise

PMANOVA:

Repeated-measures analysis of variance

RT:

Resistance training

SDS:

Sodium dodecyl sulfate

SUPP:

Supplementation

TBS:

Tris-buffered saline

TBST:

Tris-buffered saline plus Tween 20

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Funding

This study was funded through an educational research grant from the International Society of Sport Nutrition, and MusclePharm™.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St, Northridge, CA, 91330-8287, USA

    Justin X. Nicoll

  2. Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory–Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, Department of Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA

    Andrew C. Fry

  3. Department of Kinesiology, Washburn University, Topeka, KS, 66621, USA

    Eric M. Mosier

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  1. Justin X. Nicoll
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Contributions

JXN and ACF: study design and conceptualization. JXN, ACF, and EMM: data collection and analysis. JXN: writing. JXN, ACF, and EMM: revision. JXN and ACF: funding.

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Correspondence to Justin X. Nicoll.

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Communicated by William J. Kraemer.

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Nicoll, J.X., Fry, A.C. & Mosier, E.M. The effects of a caffeine containing pre-workout supplement on β2-adrenergic and MAPK signaling during resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 123, 585–599 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-05085-0

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