Cycling, like all endurance exercises, places strain on the muscles, particularly the quads, hamstrings, glutes, hips and calf muscles. To ride long distances and perform hard efforts in the saddle, athletes must find a way to mentally and physically manage the pain that's produced during a hard cycling effort. Fortunately, the answer may be as close as the caffeine found in your favorite tea, soda or coffee.
Caffeine
Caffeine is part of the group of compounds called methylxanthines. These compounds are found in coffee beans, tea, chocolate and cola, among other things. Caffeine dilates the blood vessels and and increases mental sharpness and alertness. It eases blood flow and stimulates the central nervous system. During hard or long cycling efforts, the body relies on glycogen for fuel. When glycogen runs low, you begin to fatigue and the body begins to use free fatty acids for fuel instead. Caffeine consumption during exercise helps to boost FFA metabolism, reducing fatigue in athletes.
Hard Cycling Efforts
A 2003 study reported in "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise" concluded that caffeine is also very beneficial in relieving the muscle pain felt during short cycling efforts, allowing cyclists to cycle harder for longer. At 80 percent of their maximum level of oxygen consumption, the time to exhaustion was increased in cyclists. The study also found that another dose was not required to perform a similar hard effort later in the day.
Pain Reduction
Caffeine has also been shown to relieve pain during exercise and muscle soreness after exercise. A 2009 study in the "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism" reported that participants found a decrease in muscle soreness 30 minutes after cycling when caffeine was consumed prior to the hard cycling effort. The study also reported that those who regularly consumed caffeine had the same pain relief results as those who never or rarely consumed it. A 2006 study by the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, also found that female cyclists had reduced muscle pain during cycling after consuming caffeine.
Dosage and Side Effects
It's recommended that a recreational rider consume 5 mg per kilogram of body weight of caffeine an hour before cycling. Coffee contains more caffeine than tea, soda and chocolate. Caffeine can have side effects, especially when taken in large doses, such as 500 mg or more. Side effects include heart palpitations, nausea, anxiety, diarrhea, irritability and headaches. If you intend to use caffeine during a race, experiment with it in training first; start with a low dose and slowly build from there.
References
- "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise"; Effect of Caffeine on Leg Muscle Pain during Cycling Exercise among Females; R.W. Motl, et al.; March 2006
- "ScienceDaily": Caffeine Reduces Pain During Exercise, Study Shows
- Cycling Performance Tips: Caffeine
- PezCyclingNews.com; Supplements: Caffeine and Cycling; Stephen Cheung, Ph.D.
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