REF-115 · Goldstein et al., 2010 · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, Vol. 7, Art. · Paper

ISSN Position Stand: Caffeine and Performance (2010)

Astrong evidenceMeasured on a mixed groupWritten before October 2026, being re-checked

The 2010 ISSN position stand (Goldstein et al.) summarizes caffeine and sport performance in seven points: (1) caffeine enhances sport performance in trained athletes at low-to-moderate doses (~3-6 mg/kg), with no further gain at higher doses (≥ 9 mg/kg); (2) anhydrous caffeine is more ergogenic than coffee; (3) caffeine improves vigilance during extended exhaustive exercise and sustained sleep deprivation; (4) it is ergogenic for sustained maximal endurance exercise and highly effective for time-trial performance; (5) it benefits high-intensity exercise including intermittent team sports (soccer, rugby); (6) the literature on strength-power performance is EQUIVOCAL; (7) caffeine does not cause diuresis during exercise or harmful changes in fluid balance.

The stand gives no timing window, no percentage gains and no tolerance rule. (A later ISSN stand exists; this entry covers the 2010 document.)

Key Findings

Dose: ~3-6 mg/kg body mass; ≥ 9 mg/kg adds nothing (240-480 mg for an 80 kg athlete — arithmetic on the 3-6 mg/kg range).
Form: anhydrous caffeine > coffee for ergogenic effect.
Endurance: ergogenic for sustained maximal endurance exercise; highly effective for time trials.
High-intensity / intermittent team sports: beneficial.
Strength-power: equivocal; more research needed.
Vigilance: improved during extended exhaustive exercise and sleep deprivation.
Hydration: no exercise diuresis, no harmful fluid-balance change.

Practical Application

The ISSN's 2010 position: caffeine at about 3-6 mg/kg (240-480 mg for 80 kg) improves performance in trained athletes, is most reliably effective for sustained endurance exercise and time trials, works better as anhydrous caffeine (tablet/powder) than as coffee, and does not dehydrate you; higher doses (≥ 9 mg/kg) add nothing, and the evidence for strength-power performance is equivocal.
For a time-trial or long endurance race, caffeine is one of the few supplements with a position-stand-level endorsement; for gym strength or power sessions, do not expect a reliable effect on this evidence.
Not from this paper: the low-dose alternative (< 3 mg/kg, ~200 mg, CNS-mediated) is Spriet 2014 REF-114; mechanisms and pharmacokinetics are in Graham 2001 REF-116.
Not from this paper; the base's own practice: we dose 30-60 min before the start, test in training first, and keep caffeine for key sessions and races rather than daily use.

Limitations

2010 document; timing, habitual-use effects and genetic variability are not addressed in its seven points; a later ISSN update exists and should be consulted for those.
How this entry was checked and changed
Content correction 2026-09-27
"Strength +3-5% improvement" -> the stand says strength-power evidence is equivocal; direction corrected. "Endurance 2-3% improvement", "30-60 min pre-effort", "tolerance develops with chronic use", "300-400 mg 45 min pre-start", "10-15% non-responders" -> not in the position stand; deleted or relabelled as base practice.
Added the seven points as stated, including ≥ 9 mg/kg adds nothing, vigilance under sleep deprivation, team-sport benefit and the no-diuresis point.