Effects of Salbutamol and Caffeine Ingestion on Exercise Metabolism and Performance

This study was designed to assess the effects of acute oral salbutamol and caffeine intake on performance and metabolism during short-term endurance exercise. Eight healthy volunteers participated in the double-blind placebo-controlled randomized cross-over study. Two 10 min cycling trials were performed at a power corresponding to 90 % VO 2 max for the first and a mock test for the second, separated by 10 min of passive recovery after ingestion of placebo (Pla), salbutamol (Sal, 6 mg) and caffeine (Caf, 250 mg). Performance (mean power during the mock test) was not statistically significant between the 3 treatments. Blood lactate was significantly increased after Sal compared to Pla at rest and until the end of the mock test whereas it appeared significantly increased after Caf compared to Pla at the end of the two exercises. Sal increased basal blood glucose and both Sal and Caf induced significant higher plasma insulin concentrations at rest, at the end of the mock test and during the recovery compared to Pla. No significant changes were found in these three variables between the Sal and the Caf treatments. Plasma growth hormone was significantly decreased after Sal after the mock test compared to the two other treatments. In conclusion, under the conditions of this study, neither oral salbutamol nor caffeine intake produce enhancement of short-term performance in non-specific trained subjects despite the substantial shifts in metabolic and hormonal parameters which were found.