Does Caffeine Supplementation Associated with Paralympic Powerlifting Training Interfere with Hemodynamic Indicators?

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Strength training causes benefits related to blood pressure and heart rate. However, the consumption of caffeine, used to improve performance in high-performance sports, can interfere with its effects and benefits. The study researches the interference of caffeine consumption during bench press exercise. The results of the study showed that, despite raising blood pressure, it tended to fall after 24 h of exercise, demonstrating the safe use of this supplement in adapted strength sports. ABSTRACT: Exercise, including resistance exercise with high loads, has positive hemodynamic responses such as reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), Pressure Product Rate (PPR), and estimated myocardial oxygen volume (MVO(2)). Caffeine (CA), used to improve performance, tends to interfere with BP and HR. This study aimed to analyze the effects of CA supplementation on hemodynamic indicators in Paralympic weightlifting (PP). The exercise was performed on 14 male athletes (32.4 ± 8.5 years; 81.7 ± 21.9 kg) for three weeks. Two conditions were evaluated: supplementation with CA Anhydrous 9 mg/kg and with placebo (PL). The adapted bench press was used, with 5 × 5 at 80% 1RM. We evaluated BP, HR, PPR, and MVO(2), before, after, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 min, and 24 h later. The CA presented higher absolute values in the pressure indicators than the PL, and after 24 h there was an inversion. The HR was higher in the CA and showed a reduction after 10 min. The PPR and MVO(2) in the CA presented absolute values greater than the PL, and 24 h later there was an inversion. There was no hypotensive effect, but the use of CA did not present risks related to PPR and MVO(2), demonstrating the safe use of this supplement in adapted strength sports.