Tier 2 — strong

Acute effects of caffeine or quercetin ingestion on motor unit firing pattern before and after resistance exercise

Taichi Nishikawa, Tetsuya Hirono, Aleš Holobar, Shun Kunugi, Masamichi Okudaira, Toshiyuki Ohya, Kohei Watanabe
European journal of applied physiology 2024 124(6):1645-1658

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 38193908
DOI
10.1007/s00421-023-05376-0
Funding
Indexed grant support: JPJSBP-82626 — Japan soceity for the promotion of Science (JP); J2-1731 — Slovenska Akademija Znanosti in Umetnosti; L7-9421 — Slovenska Akademija Znanosti in Umetnosti; P2-0041 — Slovenska Akademija Znanosti in Umetnosti. The indexed list may not contain the complete funding declaration.
Competing interests
A competing-interest declaration was not available in the indexed record or the disclosure metadata used for this entry.

Study snapshot

DesignControlled acute comparison of quercetin, caffeine and placebo
ModelHuman intervention research
Sample10 young men
InterventionQuercetin glycosides, caffeine or placebo; dose not stated in abstract
DurationAcute dosing before resistance exercise
EndpointsSource-specific outcomes described in the key findings

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2024, this source examined exercise and recovery. Design: Controlled acute comparison of quercetin, caffeine and placebo. Sample/model: 10 young men. The exposure or intervention was Quercetin glycosides, caffeine or placebo; dose not stated in abstract. Follow-up or treatment period: Acute dosing before resistance exercise.

Quercetin altered motor-unit recruitment thresholds, but electrically elicited torque did not differ among conditions.

Very small mechanistic study. Changes in electrical recruitment are not equivalent to improved exercise performance.

Continue with Quercetin Data Center

For topic-level interpretation, read Quercetin for Exercise: Performance, Recovery and Muscle. This is a related guide; the citation panel separately identifies articles that directly cite this paper.

Key findings

  • Quercetin altered motor-unit recruitment thresholds, but electrically elicited torque did not differ among conditions.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Source-specific outcomes described in the key findings.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: Quercetin glycosides, caffeine or placebo; dose not stated in abstract; Acute dosing before resistance exercise.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Very small mechanistic study. Changes in electrical recruitment are not equivalent to improved exercise performance.
  • An individual controlled trial must be interpreted alongside its comparator, sample size, endpoint selection and independent replication. It does not validate a different commercial formulation or a general longevity claim.
  • Source basis: Source check: PubMed abstract and indexed metadata; full methods were not independently confirmed for this entry. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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Effects of Quercetin and Citrulline on Nitric Oxide Metabolites and Antioxidant Biomarkers in Trained Cyclists
Jennifer A Kurtz et al. · Nutrients · 2025
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Quercetin ingestion alters motor unit behavior and enhances improvement in muscle strength following resistance training in older adults: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial
Taichi Nishikawa et al. · European journal of nutrition · 2025

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology