Oral theophylline supplementation and high-intensity intermittent exercise.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was carried out to investigate whether oral theophylline supplementation exerts an ergogenic effect during intermittent high-intensity exercise.


METHODS
Ten healthy subjects undertook intermittent exercise (1 min cycling at 120% of VO(2max) with 3 min of recovery until exhaustion). The exercise test was repeated twice, 1 week apart. On each occasion, the subject ingested, in a double blind setting, either theophylline (4.5 mg/kg) or placebo 90 min before commencing the exercise test.


RESULTS
Three subjects could not complete both trials due to nausea and dizziness after theophylline had been administered. Time to exhaustion in the remaining subjects was slightly increased after theophylline administration (55.9+/-6 min vs 59.3+/-5.9 min; p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Present data indicate that oral theophylline supplementation delays fatigue onset during intermittent high-intensity exercise. The effect, although statistically significant, does not appear to be marked. The possibility of occurrence of negative side effects and the evidence for its ergogenic potential suggests the necessity to include theophylline in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) World Antidoping Agency (WADA) list as a banned or restricted substance.
Pigozzi
F
F
University Institute of Movement Sciences (IUSM), Rome Italy.
Sacchetti
M
M
Di Salvo
V
V
Alabiso
A
A
Fagnani
F
F
Parisi
A
A
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013806:Theophylline / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013806:Theophylline