 According
to a University of Pittsburgh study, high-dose caffeine can be an effective muscle pain
reliever.The study, by Daniel E. Myers, D.D.S., associate professor in the department
of oral medicine and pathology in the division of oral biology at the University of
Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, measured ischemic muscle contraction pain in seven
men and women.
"It has been theorized that the chemical adenosine plays a role in causing
muscle pain especially when blood flow is reduced," Dr. Myers said.
"Perhaps if adenosine receptors are blocked, muscle pain could be blocked as well.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of caffeine, which is known to block
adenosine receptors, on experimental muscle pain in humans."
The study was a two phase trial. Seven healthy adult volunteers with no history of pain
disorders, systemic disease, or habitual caffeine use, were chosen for the two-session,
cross-over, double-blind study. One hour before the start of the experiment subjects were
given either 200 nilligrams of caffeine or a placebo. Blood was drawn from an arm and a
blood pressure cuff was used to prevent flow. The subjects then did wrist curls at a set
rate while holding a small bar. Using a visual analog scale (0 to 10) with verbal
descriptors, pain was rated after 15 seconds, 30 seconds and 45 seconds.
Mean pain ratings were significantly lower in the caffeine trials than the placebo
trials throughout the entire study.
"At 15 seconds, mean pain rating in the placebo trial was double that in the
caffeine trial," Dr. Myers said.
The trend continued through the 30-second rating. At 45 seconds, the pain rating of the
caffeine trial remained lower than the placebo trial but statistically the difference was
no longer significant.
"The implication is that there is a rationale for the use of caffeine in the
treatment of muscle pain especially when blood flow is reduced," he said.
"Perhaps blocking of adenosine receptors in muscles explains the value of caffeine in
several over-the-counter and prescription pain and headache medicines."
These results show that high-dose caffeine exhibits considerable analgesic efficacy in
experimental muscle pain, adding support for a role of adenosine in producing ischemic
muscle contraction pain.
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