If you are looking for an extra boost before your next workout, you may have considered caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant found in many products, including soda, coffee, tea, food and certain medications. Caffeine affects the central nervous system by increasing awareness and giving you additional energy. Talk with your doctor before using caffeine for your exercise energy boost.
Effects
Caffeine is one of the most popular and widely used drugs in the world. In moderation, caffeine can give you the added energy you need to complete a workout. If you are feeling slightly sluggish, an energy drink or tea containing caffeine makes you feel more alert and able to fight off sleepiness prior to your workout. Caffeine works fast -- within 15 minutes after consumption -- so you should start to see its effects right away. Washington State University explains that caffeine can also increase your heart rate, relax the air passages in your lungs and allow your lung muscles to contract easier.
Benefits
One of the main benefits to consuming caffeine before a workout is being able to push past tiredness and have the energy to complete intense exercise routines. Caffeine pills may help to enhance your overall metabolic rate so you can burn fat faster, which in turn can lead to thermogenesis, according to Mayoclinic.com. Caffeine itself is not proved to help you lose weight permanently, but it can suppress appetite, burn calories and promote the loss of water weight in addition to giving you energy to work out more frequently or complete your current exercise session.
Risks
Caffeine supplements or drink that contains caffeine come with side effects, including rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased urine output, raised body temperature and more acid in your stomach. Mama's Health explains that excessive caffeine intake can be risky because restlessness, hyperactivity, irregular heartbeat, nausea and anxiety can occur. Used over time, it may increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and fibrocystic breast lumps.
Sources
To get a pre-workout boost, you can introduce caffeine into your diet in several ways. Many sodas have high levels of caffeine. Coffee and coffee-flavored drinks are also popular and can contain anywhere between 60 mg and 150 mg per serving, notes Washington State University. You can also take a supplement that contains caffeine. A caffeine supplement is in concentrated form, so follow the package directions precisely.
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