The Impact of a Caffeinated Sports Drink on Performance (NRG)

January 26, 2026 updated by: Stavros Kavouras, Arizona State University
Caffeine is known to enhance physical and mental performance, but few beverages combine caffeine with electrolytes and carbohydrates to enhance exercise performance. This study evaluates a caffeinated electrolyte-glucose drink's effect on endurance, strength, and cognition. Using a repeated-measures, cross-over design, 20 trained cyclists will complete one familiarization and four randomized 3-hour experimental trials (Liquid I.V.™ Energy Multiplier, Hydration Multiplier, Sugar-Free Hydration Multiplier, and water). Each trial includes 2 hours of cycling in a warm environment (32ºC), followed by strength and cognitive assessments. Cycling performance, capillary blood, urine, and expiratory gases will be collected.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Each subject will complete 5 trials (1 familiarization and 4 experimental) consisting of approximately 2 hours cycling in a warm environment (90ºF), followed by strength assessment and cognitive assessment via questionnaire. Each trial will be identical, with the only difference being the type of drink consumed during each trial. The first trial will be for familiarization without any blood sampling. The rest of the trials will be completed in a randomized order and the drink consumed

Cycling Endurance Exercise Performance

The exercise test will consist of a series of three consecutive cycling sets in a warm environment (90ºF), with each series consisting of:

  1. a 30-min submaximal ride (50% maximal power as determined from the initial)
  2. a 5-km time trial race-like performance effort. During each 30 min submaximal rides participants will drink a total 500 mL of fluid spread out during the 30 min. During the 5 km performance test the participants will drink 25 mL of fluid at the end of each kilometer.

At regular intervals throughout the exercise task, body weight, blood samples, respiratory gasses, and perceptual data will be collected. See study schematic provided below for specific measurement timepoints.

Upon completion of the cycling task subjects will moved to another room with cool temperature (70ºF), where strength and cognitive function will be assessed to determine the influence of each beverage on indices of exercise performance and fatigue.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

26

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Arizona
      • Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85004
        • Arizona State University - Hydration Science Lab

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18-55
  • Healthy and injury-free (muscle, skeletal) for greater than 2 months
  • Active cyclists who train at least 3 times per week
  • Body mass index (BMI) range of 18.5-30 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

  • • History of caffeine sensitivity

    • Cancer Diagnosis during the last 5 years
    • Pregnancy
    • History of renal disease, hypertension
    • History of a heat stroke
    • Use of testosterone therapy
    • Adults who are unable to consent (impaired decision-making capacity)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Water
Water masked with non-caloric and no-sodium
Dietary supplement: Water (Placebo)
flavored water with non-caloric, non-sodium-containing sweetner
Experimental: Carbohydrate electrolyte solution
2% carbohydrate solution with 1,020 mg/L of Sodium
Dietary supplement: carbohydrate electrolyte drink
2% carbohydrate solution with 1,020 mg/L of Sodium
Experimental: no-sugar electrolyte solution
1% carbohydrate solution with 1,060 mg/L of Sodium
Dietary supplement: no-sugar electrolyte drink
1% carbohydrate solution with 1,060 mg/L of Sodium
Experimental: Caffeinated carbohydrate electrolyte solution
1% carbohydrate solution with 1,000 mg/L of Sodium, and 200mg/L Caffeine
Dietary supplement: Caffeinated Carbohydrate and electrolyte drink
2% carbohydrate solution with 1,000 mg/L of Sodium, and 200mg/L caffeine

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
5 kilometer cycling time trial
Time Frame: During the 3rd time trial which is the last time trial.
Time in minutes of completion the 5 kilometer cycling time trial at the 3rd exercise bout.
During the 3rd time trial which is the last time trial.
5 kilometer Time trial performance
Time Frame: 2nd time trial
Time to completion the 2nd cycling time trial
2nd time trial
Isokinetic stregth
Time Frame: right after the cycling tests
Peak torque at 60º/sec at dominant knee during extension
right after the cycling tests
Congitive performance 1
Time Frame: after the completion of strength test
Attention Network Test score
after the completion of strength test
Cognitive performance 2
Time Frame: after the end of the strength assessment
Working Memory Test score
after the end of the strength assessment
Congitive test 3
Time Frame: right after the strength test
Stroop Task score
right after the strength test

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Blood glucose
Time Frame: at the end of the 3rd cycling time trial.
Blood glucose levels during the 3rd cycling time trial.
at the end of the 3rd cycling time trial.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Arizona State University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Stavros Kavouras, PhD, Arizona State University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

December 12, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 16, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

December 16, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 3, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 3, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

December 6, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 26, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • FP00041543
  • AWD00039989 (Other Identifier: ASU)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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