The first thought that may spring to mind when you see the word caffeine, is coffee. Whether you love it or loathe it, there is good reason it pops into your head. Caffeine actually comes from coffee beans, however it can also by created synthetically in a lab. There is a ton of information on caffeine out there, it is one of the most heavily researched supplements! Much like myself, you might not be too worried about which chain of coffee shops contains the most caffeine. In contrast, you may be interested when it comes to linking caffeine and performance. The following post will hopefully shed some light on the basics effects it has on performance.
Caffeine Is a Stimulant
To put it simply.
A substance that raises levels of physiological or nervous activity in the body.
It falls into the category of nootropics.
A drug used to enhance memory or other cognitive functions.
One of the main reasons for enhanced cognitive function, is the fact that it can reduce the effects of adenosine. Adenosine can lead to a relaxed state, you may well recognise this as “Monday morning syndrome”. Preventing the effects of adenosine, increases alertness and wakefulness.
Other Effects on Performance
In addition to mental stimulation, caffeine has been shown effect you in multiple ways. It appears to provide a notable improvement in anaerobic running performance. This may by due to its anti fatiguing abilities, combined with increasing power output. Your endurance may also benefit, studies have noted small increases in aerobic capacity.
You may also see minor improvements in reaction time, training volume and rate of perceived exertion. Unfortunately the research is a little unreliable and scattered.
Things to Note
The effects of caffeine become reduced if you are a habitual consumer. Essentially, the more you take it, the lesser effect it has on you. Additionally, taking an increased DOES NOT appear to increase the effects. It’s metabolic effect may vary depending on whether one is ‘naive’ to caffeine (infrequent user) or ‘accustomed’ to caffeine (daily user). Caution should be used if you are not used to caffeine ingestion or currently have high blood pressure.
Give It a Go
The best way to find out whether it effects you is to try it out! The next time you are booked in for a session of Personal Training in Richmond Park, London. Try having a coffee 15-30 minutes before and see how you feel. You will want to make sure you are hydrated and have some food on board as well!
You will want to tailor your intake to you! Try starting out with no more than 100mg, a general espresso or americano contains 30-90mg of caffeine.