Mapping the scientific landscape of caffeine and sports performance in recent athlete research
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55040/46py5324Keywords:
athletic performance, bibliometric analysis, caffeine, dietary supplements, ergogenic aidsAbstract
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.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Arja Bahauddin, Riyan Riyadlun Najih, Erona Wafaretta, Indra Himawan Susanto, Luthfi Abdil Khuddus, Achmad Rizanul Wahyudi, Reza Aziz Prasetya (Autor/a)

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