Supplements 101: Caffeine
Procaffeinating – the tendency to not start anything until after the first cup of coffee.
For many, this term is all too familiar…
Although coffee is the most popular way for North Americans to obtain their caffeine fixes, this stimulant is found in many other products all over the globe. Just like all the supplements we’ll discuss, caffeine can be found in whole foods. And whether it is coffee, or another caffeine-containing substance, 90% of the world consumes some form of this stimulating compound every day. Its popularity has led to it becoming one of the most well-researched supplements out there.
Today, we’re going to discuss what makes this substance so popular, where you can find it in food, where you can find the supplemental form, and how to safely use it to improve your performance.
How Caffeine Works
Caffeine directly impacts our central nervous system. It blocks the adenosine receptors in our body which prevents us from becoming tired. So, this explains why your co-worker with a newborn baby and bags under her eyes has a pot a coffee per day. She’s just trying to stay awake!
In addition to blocking fatigue, caffeine also increases alertness by increasing your body’s release of epinephrine, better known as the fight or flight hormone. This hormone also increases the amount of fats available for the body to use for energy. If you remember from our nutrition 101 series, our body takes a long time to utilize fats for fuel. Caffeine helps speed up this process. So, the substance’s ability to block fatigue, increase alertness, and increase fuel sources explains why it is so popular for athletes and non-athletes alike. With that being said, some who start their day with caffeine aren’t thinking about the extra energy. They may not even be tired. They just enjoy the food sources that caffeine can be found in.
Caffeine Sources
Coffee & chocolate… those two words alone are enough to get many people’s attention. Those products are some of the most popular caffeine-containing substances on the market right now. Not only do the lone products contain caffeine, but any substance that has a hint of coffee or chocolate contains some caffeine as well. That list is nearly endless, and with the holidays coming, I’m sure you’ll have your fill of coffee flavored, chocolate-coated sweets soon.
Along with coffee and chocolate, caffeine is commonly found in some teas and all energy drinks. You can also find the substance in less “appetizing” forms. Pills and powders, like pre-workout, are another highly consumed form of caffeine. So, it can be consumed in so many ways. But once we find how we like to have it, we have to know how much we should have to safely use the substance.
How Many Cups Should You Have
Decreased fatigue and increased alertness and energy sound like great things to have for training. To see these benefits, you need to consume ~1.4 – 2.7mg of caffeine per pound of body weight (3 – 6 mg/kg). So, a 135lb. woman should have 189 – 364mg of caffeine to really see the performance effects of the substance during training. One 8oz cup of coffee has about 100mg of caffeine. So, the woman we just mentioned could have 2 – 3.5 cups of coffee to reach these recommendations. This may be part of some people’s normal morning routine. But others may not be able to handle that much liquid right before they workout. These individuals could use a pre-workout powder that provides their recommended caffeine dose. They can mix it with 8-12oz. of water, which may be much more manageable for them to consume right before training.
How Much is Too Much
As we mentioned last week, supplements are only beneficial when used properly. Caffeine is no exception. Along with the positive effects of the substance, there are negative side effects that one can experience if they consume too much caffeine. “Too much” is defined as 4 – 5.9 mg/lb. (9 – 13mg/kg.), and the consequences include dizziness, headaches, nausea, irritation, shaking, frequent urination, and several others.
When to Consume Caffeine
Along with knowing how much caffeine to have, we should also know when to have it…
1) Try to consume the 1.4 – 2.7mg/lb. within 1 hour of your workout to see optimal effects.
2) Try to cut off your caffeine intake after lunchtime (~2pm).
The substance has a half-life of 6 hours. This means that it will stay in your body for several hours after you initially consume it. Its ability to block fatigue could cause an issue when you’re trying to fall asleep at night.
Most athletes can benefit from increased alertness and energy, but endurance athletes typically benefit more from the use of caffeine than others. The substance helps the body utilize fat for fuel more quickly. The long duration and relatively slow nature of endurance athlete’s training means they are more likely to use fats for fuel than a sprinter who is training in quick, highly intense bursts. So, if you’re going out to set a new squat PR or break the 100-yard freestyle record, you likely won’t see as much of a benefit from caffeine as someone who is getting ready for an iron man triathlon.
Overall, caffeine has many uses, many sources, and many pieces of evidence supporting its effectiveness. If you have your diet and sleep dialed in, caffeine is a great option to increase your energy short-term. But remember, fine-tune the lifestyle habits before opting for the supplemental fixes.
This week, we touched on a supplement that will primarily benefit the endurance athletes. Next week, we’ll focus on the sprinters and power athletes by discussing another well-researched, highly effective supplement: creatine.
Train mejor!
Craig.
