Many Americans rely on a daily jolt of caffeine to get them through the day, but for athletes, this might not be a good thing. Vanderbilt University's Health Psychology website says that for the most part, physicians do not recommend athletes use caffeine. The site also says that if you do use caffeine before athletics, know your limitations. Train in various conditions after ingesting caffeine to know before competition how it will affect your body.
Caffeine in the Body
It takes about 45 to 60 minutes for caffeine to peak in the blood stream, says Dr. Mark Jenkins. At that time, blood pressure, pulse rate and stomach acid production are increased. These effects and others last anywhere from a few to 12 hours. Jack Hartley, writing on the Vanderbilt University Psychology Department website, mentions the theories that ingesting caffeine before athletic performance might benefit athletes: it might promote concentration, induce more powerful muscle contractions or could cause the body to burn more fat and fewer carbohydrates, thus saving more fuel for powering the muscles.
However, Dr. Jenkins says after four days of regular use, your body becomes accustomed to caffeine and does not have the same level of response as it did upon initial use. An article on The Herb Companion website says that for this reason, daily caffeine users won't boost their athletic performance, but those who rarely drink coffee might see an isolated impact.
Dehydration
Caffeine is a mild diuretic. Hartley says it increases blood flow in the kidneys while simultaneously restricting the reabsorption of sodium and water. Conversely, he notes, caffeine increases the need to urinate by weakening the detrusor muscles in the bladder. The University of Missouri's website Food and Fitness says dehydration leads to headaches, feeling weak and muscle cramps. Additionally, Dr. Jenkins says endurance athletes might also face abdominal cramping and nausea due to caffeine use.
Other Effects
Dr Jenkins says a person's metabolism, diet and frequency of caffeine use play a part in how his body will react to caffeine. According to Hartley, additional caffeine side effects include sleep deprivation, nausea, anxiety, fatigue and gastrointestinal instability. In large amounts, caffeine can cause the body to lose calcium and potassium, leading to sore muscles and longer recovery time after workouts.
Dr Jenkins says if you abruptly quit taking caffeine, you might experience additional headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms. For this reason, he recommends a gradual cessation. Headache might occur within 18 hours following the last dose of caffeine and could worsen with exercise.
Additional Tips
For those who do plan to use caffeine during the day of a sporting competition, Dr. Jenkins offers a few tips. Ingest the substance about three to four hours prior to the competition. He says that although caffeine blood levels peak sooner, the maximum effect on fat stores appears to occur several hours after peak blood levels. Also, consider abstaining from caffeine three to four days before an event. This will decrease your tolerance and allow the caffeine to take maximum effect. However, first consider the effects of caffeine withdrawal.
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