Fluoxetine impairs muscular strength, power and endurance performance particularly when it is co-ingested with caffeine: a case study
Fluoxetine, caffeine and muscular performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.28.2.2047Keywords:
Depression, fluoxetine, caffeine, resistance training, sport performance, case reportAbstract
Introduction: Fluoxetine is a recurrent pharmacotherapy for depression used in athletes since it does not seem to impair sports performance. Some athletes combine this drug with caffeine, however, the combined effect of both drugs remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to explore the combined effect of fluoxetine and caffeine on muscular strength, power, and endurance performance.
Methods: In this case study, a resistance-trained female was recruited to complete four randomized experimental conditions: a) placebo (PLA); b) placebo and fluoxetine (PLA+FLU); c) caffeine (CAF); d) caffeine and fluoxetine (CAF+FLU). The participant was provided with 20 mg/day of fluoxetine and 3 mg/kg of body mass of caffeine or maltodextrin (placebo) 60 minutes after performing the tests. The participant performed for bench press and back squat exercises a muscular strength and power test at 25%, 50%, 75% and 90%1-repetition-maximum (1RM), followed by a muscular endurance assessment at 65% and 85%1RM.
Results: CAF+FLU reduced mean velocity and power output in both exercises at 75% and 90%1RM in muscular strength and power tests and at 85%1RM in the muscular endurance test. While PLA+FLU and CAF+FLU administration reduced peak velocity and mean and peak power output at 25%1RM in the muscular strength and power test and at 65%1RM in the muscular endurance test.
Conclusions: Fluoxetine may counteract the ergogenic effect of caffeine impairing muscular strength, power and endurance performance. Therefore, although further studies are needed, athletes diagnosed with depression on fluoxetine treatment should reconsider caffeine consumption as a nutritional supplement to enhance performance.
References
(1) Smith K Mental health: A world of depression. Nature. 2014;515(7526):180-1, doi: 10.1038/515180a.
(2) Wolanin A, Gross M, Hong E Depression in athletes: prevalence and risk factors. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2015;14(1):56-60, doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000123.
(3) Pluhar E, McCracken C, Griffith KL, Christino MA, Sugimoto D, Meehan WP Team Sport Athletes May Be Less Likely To Suffer Anxiety or Depression than Individual Sport Athletes. J Sports Sci Med. 2019;18(3):490-6.
(4) Micheli L, Ceccarelli M, D’Andrea G, Tirone F Depression and adult neurogenesis: Positive effects of the antidepressant fluoxetine and of physical exercise. Brain Res Bull. 2018;143:181-93, doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2018.09.002.
(5) Meeusen R, Piacentini MF, Van Den Eynde S, Magnus L, De Meirleir K Exercise performance is not influenced by a 5-HT reuptake inhibitor. Int J Sports Med. 2001;22(5):329-36, doi: 10.1055/s-2001-15648.
(6) Aguilar-Navarro M, Muñoz G, Salinero JJ, Muñoz-Guerra J, Fernández-Álvarez M, Plata MDM, et al. Urine Caffeine Concentration in Doping Control Samples from 2004 to 2015. Nutrients. 2019;11(2):286, doi: 10.3390/nu11020286.
(7) Grgic J Effects of Caffeine on Resistance Exercise: A Review of Recent Research. Sports Med. 2021;51(11):2281-98, doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01521-x.
(8) Ruiz-Fernández I, Valadés D, Dominguez R, Ferragut C, Pérez-López A Load and muscle group size influence the ergogenic effect of acute caffeine intake in muscular strength, power and endurance. Eur J Nutr. 2023; 62(4): 1783-94, doi: 10.1007/s00394-023-03109-9.
(9) Carrillo JA, Benitez J Clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions between dietary caffeine and medications. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2000;39(2):127-53, doi: 10.2165/00003088-200039020-00004.
(10) Jeppesen U, Gram LF, Vistisen K, Loft S, Poulsen HE, Brøsen K Dose-dependent inhibition of CYP1A2, CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 by citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and paroxetine. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1996;51(1):73-8, doi: 10.1007/s002280050163.
(11) Szopa A, Poleszak E, Wyska E, Serefko A, Wośko S, Wlaź A, et al. Caffeine enhances the antidepressant-like activity of common antidepressant drugs in the forced swim test in mice. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2016;389(2):211-21, doi: 10.1007/s00210-015-1189-z.
(12) Jamal F, Durgam A, Aickareth G, Bajaj R, Mathews M A Case of Caffeine Intolerance With Long-Term Use of Fluoxetine. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2017;19(3), doi: 10.4088/PCC.16l02045.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 Juan Jesús Montalvo-Alonso, Carmen Ferragut, Sara Rodríguez-Martín, David Valadés, Alberto Pérez-López
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This journal 