In the past, it was suggested for athletes to avoid having caffeine. Worried that there would be too many negative effects on the athlete, people were scared it wouldn’t be effective in helping performance enhancement.

Now research is indicating that given within the proper guidelines, caffeine might be the trick to give the athlete that sudden burst of energy needed to help performance positively. As long as the athlete is up to date on the restrictions and/or guidelines for caffeine, it could be a nice weapon for him/her.

Here are a few of the items you need to know about taking caffeine:

  • People were worried that caffeine would cause dehydration. New research is suggesting that it could be a diuretic for people at rest, not people who are engaging in physical activity such as athletes playing a game.
  • Research has shown performance enhancement in endurance sports, but mixed results in some team sports. The endurance sports include – road cycling, distance running, rowing, swimming, and cross-country skiing.
  • It takes about 15-45 minutes for caffeine levels to rise in the blood stream hitting peak concentrations within 60 minutes.
  • The dosing range for performance enhancement is 1 to 6 mg/kg of bodyweight consumed 60 minutes before activity. Because this is a wide range, athletes are encouraged to start with low dosages and gradually increase the range to determine the optimal level.
  • Athletes can look for commercial products that list the caffeine content and easy to digest.
  • Try to avoid some of the energy drinks and pills out there that contain caffeine. They aren’t monitored for safety by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration therefore the contents could vary widely. The ONLY one that I recommend to my clients is Advocare products such as their Spark product or Muscle Fuel. Advocare has partnered with INFORMED-CHOICE to certify that their products are banned substance free. You can get some of those Advocare products by clicking here.

  • The body could develop a tolerance to caffeine.  Instead of increasing the dosage and potentially causing side effects, it is recommended to stop it for a while and restart at a later date.
  • If an athlete complains of sleep disturbances, try consuming the last dose earlier and earlier until sleep comes back to normal.
  • Be aware of potential side effects like nervousness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, increased heart rate, increased respiration, headache, and ringing in the ears.  Most of these things probably won’t happen, but in this day and age you have to mention every little thing.

Bottom line: as long as you are taking caffeine safely, it can definitely be used as an ergogenic aid for athletes.  Follow the guidelines, test it gradually early in the season, and then utilize it to your advantage.

Photo courtesy of MrkJohn on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mjmerry/