Effects of a Caffeine-Containing Energy Drink on Simulated Soccer Performance Coso, Juan del Muñoz-Fernández, Víctor E. Muñoz, Gloria Fernández-Elías, Valentín E. Ortega, Juan F. Hamouti, Nassim Barbero Álvarez, José Carlos Muñoz-Guerra, Jesús Body weight Caffeine Carbohydrates Games Human performance Ingestion Running Urine [Background] To investigate the effects of a caffeine-containing energy drink on soccer performance during a simulated game. A second purpose was to assess the post-exercise urine caffeine concentration derived from the energy drink intake. [Methodology/Principal Findings] Nineteen semiprofessional soccer players ingested 630±52 mL of a commercially available energy drink (sugar-free Red Bull®) to provide 3 mg of caffeine per kg of body mass, or a decaffeinated control drink (0 mg/kg). After sixty minutes they performed a 15-s maximal jump test, a repeated sprint test (7×30 m; 30 s of active recovery) and played a simulated soccer game. Individual running distance and speed during the game were measured using global positioning satellite (GPS) devices. In comparison to the control drink, the ingestion of the energy drink increased mean jump height in the jump test (34.7±4.7 v 35.8±5.5 cm; P<0.05), mean running speed during the sprint test (25.6±2.1 v 26.3±1.8 km · h−1; P<0.05) and total distance covered at a speed higher than 13 km · h−1 during the game (1205±289 v 1436±326 m; P<0.05). In addition, the energy drink increased the number of sprints during the whole game (30±10 v 24±8; P<0.05). Post-exercise urine caffeine concentration was higher after the energy drink than after the control drink (4.1±1.0 v 0.1±0.1 µg · mL−1; P<0.05). [Conclusions/significance] A caffeine-containing energy drink in a dose equivalent to 3 mg/kg increased the ability to repeatedly sprint and the distance covered at high intensity during a simulated soccer game. In addition, the caffeinated energy drink increased jump height which may represent a meaningful improvement for headers or when players are competing for a ball. 2014-03-20T08:09:26Z 2014-03-20T08:09:26Z 2012 journal article Coso, J.; et al. Effects of a Caffeine-Containing Energy Drink on Simulated Soccer Performance. Plos One, 7(2): e31380 (2012). [doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031380] 1932-6203 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031380 http://hdl.handle.net/10481/30991 10.1371/journal.pone.0031380 eng open access Public Library of Science (PLOS)