Caffeine is often defined as an ergogenic aid in sports nutrition text books. An ergogenic aid is a substance or technique that may be used to improve athletic performance. While many athletes realize that their morning cup of coffee helps them feel energized to exercise, caffeine may have other benefits to their workout. However, like other nutritional supplements, each athlete may have an optimal range, and too much caffeine may elicit negative effects.
Sources of Caffeine
The American Dietetics Association says most people can ingest 200 mg to 300 mg of caffeine per day. If you like java, the equivalent is two to three cups of coffee, depending on the size your mug. You can also find caffeine in tea, soft drinks, chocolate, and in some vitamins and medications. The same caffeine amount can affect individuals differently.
Performance Benefits
Caffeine may provide your athletic performance with a few boosts. Caffeine contains properties that help your body use more fat as an energy source. It also causes your blood vessels to dilate, which allows greater blood flow to your working muscles. Caffeine can also expand the tissue of your airway passages, which allows you to breath in more air. Some athletes have experienced benefits such as the ability to withstand longer training durations and increases in endurance. Athletes who are not regular coffee drinkers or caffeine users may be more sensitive to some of these benefits.
Drawbacks
Caffeine can also act as a diuretic, not a good thing for an athlete. Dehydration not only impairs athletic performance, but it can put your health at risk. It is important to stay hydrated with noncaffeinated beverages when you also are using caffeine. Too much caffeine can increase your blood pressure, cause anxiety and affect your sleeping. Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant drug. Regular caffeine users who stop it often experience withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, impaired concentration and anxiety.
Recommendations for Athletes
Some competition associations have limits for caffeine levels in athletes. Olympic athletes must have a blood caffeine level of less than 12 mcg per deciliter. This can be equal to three to six cups of coffee. You may want to limit your coffee to one to three cups per day. If you plan to cut back or eliminate your caffeine, keep in mind that withdrawal symptoms can last beyond one week, and could affect your performance. Avoid quitting right before a competition, and gradually decrease your caffeine level instead of stopping cold turkey.
References
- American Dietetics Society: The Buzz on Caffeine
- American Council on Exercise: Caffeine - Does it Help or Hurt Performance?
- "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition"; International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Caffeine and Performance; Erica R. Goldstein, et al.; 2010
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