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Copyright © 2005 Peak Performance. All Rights Reserved.
FAQ #4 - Caffeine - is it worth using?
Small moderate amounts (50-300 mg) of caffeine act as a mild central nervous system stimulant by increasing the heart rate and blood pressure – so it provides an initial boost of energy, keeping us alert and preventing fatigue. How many of us use a morning java jolt for “get up and go” each day? Athletes have taken advantage of this energy boosting effect of caffeine for years – to the point that caffeine’s well recognized stimulant effects had put it on the list of banned drugs. However in 2004 caffeine was removed from the list of banned substances of the World Anti Doping Agency. This now begs the question – is it really worth using? While the amount of caffeine in a cup of brewed coffee may have some favourable impact on your reaction time it will do little to improve endurance performance. For endurance athletes it appears that 2-3 mg/kg body mass (see chart below) may indeed enhance endurance performance. However, excessive caffeine intake or the sudden use of caffeine by those that never use it can lead to the shakes, anxiety, upset tummy, insomnia, and heart arrhythmias. In addition to all this, caffeine also has a diuretic effect, which could affect your pre-training or pre-competition hydration status. While a moderate amount of caffeine per day, approximately 300 milligrams, is relatively harmless for most people, some individuals may be sensitive to the effects of caffeine at very small doses, and pregnancy and aging (beware masters athletes!) can affect this sensitivity. Athletes should also be aware that the helpful effects of caffeine vary and do not occur consistently in habitual users, suggesting that we become less sensitive to caffeine’s effects.It may be a pre-competition strategy to hold off on those 2-3 morning cups of java pre-ski the week preceding your longest race to reap the optimal benefits when you supplement your pre-race meal with some caffeinated fluids. Then during exercise keep your hydration status topped up with consistent intake of fluids such as water and sport drinks.
Caffeine Content of Popular Foods and Beverages |
||
Typical |
Range |
|
Coffee, 250 mL* |
||
|
85 |
65-120 |
|
75 |
65-85 |
Red Bull Drink |
80 |
80 |
Espresso, 30 mL |
40 |
30-50 |
Caffeinated soft drinks |
24 |
20-40 |
Brewed black tea, 250 mL |
40 |
20-90 |
Iced tea |
25 |
9-50 |
Chocolate milk |
5 |
2-7 |
Milk Chocolate (30 g) |
6 |
1-15 |
Dark Chocolate (30g) |
20 |
5-35 |
Cocoa beverage |
6 |
3-32 |
* the amount of caffeine varies based on the type of coffee and method of preparation.
Data from the International Food Information Council Foundation, October 1999
Copyright © 2005 Peak Performance. All Rights Reserved.
