Mapping the scientific landscape of caffeine and sports performance in recent athlete research

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55040/46py5324

Keywords:

athletic performance, bibliometric analysis, caffeine, dietary supplements, ergogenic aids

Abstract

Caffeine is a popular ergogenic substance in modern sports. This study aims to map the development of publications, research directions, country contributions, and the role of caffeine in improving athlete performance based on recent publications with highly cited articles. This study analyzed the relationship between caffeine and athlete performance using a bibliometric approach and a systematic literature review of the most influential publications. The mapping results show that caffeine can boost athletic performance. However, there are concerns in recent research regarding the emergence of anxiety, gastrointestinal symptoms, and doping, so future research needs to emphasize the safety of caffeine consumption. Based on publications, the dominant approach is experimental and applied, with publications dominated by countries including Spain, the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Australia, Iran, China, Poland, and Canada. This study concludes that caffeine has strong scientific and practical relevance for improving athlete performance, but its use must be individualized, dose-controlled, and monitored for physiological and psychological responses.

Author Biographies

  • Muhammad Arja Bahauddin, Universitas Negeri Surabaya

    Sport Coaching Education

  • Erona Wafaretta, State University of Makassar

    Department of biology, faculty of mathematics and natural sciences

  • Indra Himawan Susanto, Universitas Negeri Surabaya

    Sport science

  • Luthfi Abdil Khuddus5, Universitas Negeri Surabaya

    Sport management

  • Achmad Rizanul Wahyudi, Universitas Negeri Surabaya

    Sport science

  • Reza Aziz Prasetya, National Cheng Kung University

    Department of allied health sciences

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Published

2026-09-01

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