Effects of Moderate Exercise on the Pharmacokinetics of Caffeine

The effect of moderate exercise on the kinetics of caffeine in 12 healthy volunteers-6 heavy coffee drinkers (HD) and 6 light coffee drinkers (LD) has been studied. Kinetics at Rest was measured first (R): the subjects remained at rest for 8 h after a single 250 mg dose of caffeine. One week later, the Exercise Kinetics (E) was measured under the same conditions, but with the subjects performing moderate exercise (30% of VO2 max) during the first hour of the study. Exercise raised the maximal plasma caffeine concentrations (R: 7.28: E: 10.45) and reduced both the half-life (R 3.99 h: E 2.29 h) and the volume of distribution (R 37 l: E 20.9 l). Both during exercise and at rest. HD had a greater half-life elimination and volume of distribution than LD. The results suggest potentiation of the effects of caffeine during exercise and an increase in its distribution due to regular heavy coffee intake.