EFFECTS OF ENERGY DRINK AS AN ERGOGENIC AID ON ANAEROBIC ACTIVITY OF PAKISTANI PLAYERS

Abstract

Fitness enthusiasts and athletes are always looking for the ways to increase their physical activity performance. This is the core reason that they are willing to intake different types of supplements for the purpose of either developing aerobic or anaerobic or both the abilities. The action of caffeine is effected by many factors. The research on anaerobic exercise performance is very partial, that’s why the need to investigate and study on strength work and anaerobic performance is relatively huge. This study examined the effects of caffeinated energy drink and caffeinated dark chocolate to make comparison as an ergogenic aid on anaerobic performance of leg press and bench press exercises. In experimental method of quantitative research, thirty two recreational participants (mean age 20.75±2.2 years) performed leg press and bench press exercises. Participants were randomly assigned a dark chocolate group or energy drink group. After ingesting caffeinated dark chocolate or energy drink, they were examined on two dependent variables (Bench press performance and leg press performance). Data was tested via a dependent samples t-test with p value set at P< 0.05. Bench press trials showed (Dark chocolate =55.9 ±20.8kg; Energy drink = 63.1 ±21.3 kg; p = .338). Leg press trials showed results (Dark chocolate = 216.75 ± 19.4kg; Energy drink = 222± 18.1 kg; p = .435). No significance differences were established for dark chocolate group and energy drink group in both of the exercises. The findings of the study showed improvement in performance in both groups. The findings were insignificant (P< 0.05), both the caffeinated groups have nearly same effects on anaerobic performance of leg press and bench press exercises when the exercises were performed after 45 minutes of ingestion. Future research should focus to investigate the factors that effected the caffeine’s action.