Coffee, caffeine and sports performance – Christine Bailey

Looking for an extra boost before a workout? A pre-workout coffee may be one of the easiest ways to improve your performance and provide additional health benefits. Coffee is one of the most consumed drinks in the world. Naturally rich in caffeine and antioxidants, it is well known as an effective ergogenic aid or performance enhancer.

Caffeine and performance

Caffeine is probably the most studied supplement that improves performance in a wide range of sports. The most common food source of caffeine is coffee, but it is also found in tea, cola drinks, energy drinks, chocolate and sports supplements. The main benefits of caffeine on physical performance appear to be due to its effects on the central nervous system. It has a direct stimulating effect on the muscles while reducing the perception of the intensity of your work. Caffeine taken before and during exercise can reduce feelings of fatigue, improve alertness and concentration, and allow you to exercise for longer.

When it comes to athletic performance, caffeine has the following additional benefits

• increases muscle strength and power
• increases aerobic endurance
• improves skills such as sprinting, jumping and throwing performance

How much caffeine?

Much research has focused on the dose-response relationship between caffeine consumption and physical performance. Although higher doses (5 to 9 mg/kg body weight) provide performance benefits, they also increase the risk of side effects such as increased heart rate, anxiety, sleep problems and digestive disorders. More recent research suggests that lower doses of around 3 mg/kg or around 200 mg still produce performance benefits with few, if any, side effects. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) suggests a dose of between 3 and 6 mg/kg body weight for sports performance.

However, there is no universal solution. Our response to caffeine is highly variable, which may be related to how quickly our body metabolizes caffeine. If you are not used to taking caffeine, it is worth starting with the lowest effective dose of 1.5 mg/kg/or ~100 mg and gradually increasing if necessary.

When and how should I take it?

Caffeine is rapidly absorbed with concentrations peaking between 30 and 120 minutes. While many people take caffeine 30 to 60 minutes before exercising, you’ll likely notice the benefits sooner. In fact, caffeine appears to be most beneficial during times when fatigue becomes more noticeable, such as during endurance training or high-intensity activities. This means that for some people, consuming caffeine during exercise (middle/later stages) may be more beneficial than ingesting it beforehand. The optimal timing of caffeine ingestion may also depend on the caffeine source. For example, the caffeine in chewing gum is absorbed more quickly, making it useful for a quick pick-me-up.

There are many ways to consume caffeine besides coffee. It is available in the form of capsules, sports drinks, tablets, gels and bars. Most energy gels contain around 75-100g per sachet.

Caffeine and fat loss

For your body composition, caffeine can help you burn more calories by increasing body temperature, boosting metabolism, and increasing fat oxidation, helping you use more fatty acids for fuel. One study found up to a 29% increase in fat oxidation in lean subjects and a 10% increase in oxidation in obese women. Although increasing fatty acid oxidation seems a good thing, it is important to note that total daily calorie balance remains essential.

Caffeine and sleep

Caffeine can affect the onset and quality of sleep, even at low levels of consumption. While the average half-life of caffeine is generally between 4 and 6 hours (meaning about half of the caffeine remains in your blood after this time), it varies between individuals and can even go from 1.5 to 10 hours in adults. If you struggle to get quality sleep, consider limiting your caffeine intake to mornings only.

Should I stop consuming caffeine before using it in a race?

It was once thought that withdrawing from caffeine before consuming it for a race or competition would further improve performance. However, recent studies show that there is no difference in performance response to caffeine between non-users.

and caffeine users, and that removing athletes from caffeine does not increase the net performance improvement achieved with caffeine supplementation. That said, if you are not used to taking caffeine, it is important to try it before a competition during your training.

Caffeine content of drinks and foods

The caffeine content of drinks such as tea, coffee and hot chocolate can be very variable and depends on the brand, preparation and size of the drink.

Are there any specific health benefits to drinking coffee?

There’s more to coffee than just its caffeine content. One of the reasons coffee has unique health benefits is its extremely high content of antioxidants, including polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid.

Drinking coffee in moderation, up to 3 to 4 cups, appears to protect against a number of chronic diseases. Many studies have shown that regular coffee consumption can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than 50%. Other studies suggest that regular coffee consumption throughout life reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and depression. Although caffeine may increase blood pressure, some research indicates that coffee consumption may be linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. As with anything, you can have too much of a good thing, so don’t overdo it. Even 1 or 2 cups per day have been shown to provide health benefits.