Can a cup of coffee improve athletic performance? How much is effective?

-
Many athletes enjoy a caffeine-lift either as a morning eye-opener, during daily coffee breaks, before training, and during competitions. There is always a question mark about caffeine. Should I use caffeinated gels during or before long runs? How much coffee should I consume before the competition to improve the performance?

The purpose of this article is to look at caffeine, which is most commonly consumed as coffee, as a part of a sports supplement and help you determine whether you want to take it or leave it.

Research on caffeine and performance is not a new topic. The recent studies suggest that caffeine may help to improve physical performance during both endurance and high-intensity exercise. The evidence indicated the amount of caffeine that enhances performance ranges from 0.5 to 2 mg/lb body weights (2 to 3 mg/kg) taken one hour before exercise. For example, a 150 lb person, this comes to about 75 to 300 mg per day. More does not seem to be better. Also, there is no evidence to suggest that moderate caffeine intake (<450 mg/day) induces chronic dehydration or negatively affects exercise performance, temperature regulation, circulatory strain in a hot environment.

Most athletes get caffeine by drinking coffee, caffeinated gels or Red Bull; some athletes prefer products with specified doses of caffeinated pills. Natural sources of caffeine include coffee beans, tea leaves, kola nuts, cacao beans, guarana, and mate.


Caffeine Source                                     Amount (mg)
Brewed Coffee (8 oz.):                               75 - 175
Tea (8 oz.):                                                    30 - 80
Soda (12 oz.):                                               35 - 55
Energy Drinks/Energy Bars                        50 - 200+
(varies depending on size & brand):       
Pills (1 tablet):                                                200


Each person responds differently to caffeine, so do not assume you will perform better with a caffeine boost. You might be nausea, coping with a coffee stomach, or suffering from caffeine jitters at a time when you are already nervous and anxious.

And be forewarned: If a morning cup of coffee can assist with a bowel movement, a pre-competition cup might lead to transit troubles. You need to experiment during training to determine if a caffeinated beverage or plain water is your best bet.

Pei-Yi Lin- Graduate Student, Sports Medicine and Nutrition

References
Souza DB, Coso JD, Casonatto J, Polito MD. Acute effects of caffeine-containing energy drinks on physical performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Nutrition. 2016;56(1):13-27. doi:10.1007/s00394-016-1331-9.

Team USA. Caffeine Factsheet. https://www.teamusa.org/About-the-USOC/Athlete-Development/Sport-Performance/Nutrition/Athlete-Factsheets-and-Resources. Accessed April 2, 2018.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

© 2018 University of Pittsburgh. All Rights Reserved. nutrition@shrs.pitt.edu

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Intuitive Eating by Sarah Kilpatrick

-
In today’s world, we are surrounded by messages of “eat this, not that”, photoshopped standards of beauty, and general confusion about the true role of weight in our overall health and what “diet” is really the best. With so many conflicting messages, many people find themselves lost in their relationships with food and unable to trust their body’s natural signals of hunger and may begin to negatively judge their cravings, hunger levels, and body size. Intuitive Eating is a weight-neutral, mind-body health approach created by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, first outlined in their book in 1995. An intuitive eater becomes attuned to their physical and psychological signals and follows these 10 principles: Reject the diet mentality Honor your hunger Make peace with food   Challenge the food police Respect your fullness Discover the satisfaction factor Honor your feelings without using food Respect your body Exercise – feel the difference Honor your health
Read more

Phipps Feature: "Food in the News: Top Trendy Fruits & Veggies in 2018"

-
Image
It’s that time of year again: growing season! Many savvy seedsmen and women have ventured outdoors to plant their most-coveted crops. The benefits of at-home gardening are numerous and include: environmental sustainability, improved self-sufficiency, and access to fresh, economical produce. The plants that thrive in home gardens are as diverse as the gardeners who grow them. From foreign fruits in wild shapes and sizes to common vegetables with uncommon colors; planting novel crops can add both variety and vibrancy to your backyard and dinner plate, 1,2  Here are the top fruit and vegetable treats that have plant experts in Pittsburgh asking for more. Kohlrabi This alien-looking vegetable is a member of the Brassica family and is indigenous to Ireland. It is a pollinator-friendly plant that is said to have a sweet, ‘cabbage-like’ flavor. The stem of the plant can be either roasted or eaten raw (much like broccoli), while its leaves are best-eaten fresh or sautéed (similar
Read more

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

-
Image
The Mediterranean Diet is an elusive title for a certain way of eating that many people have heard but may not fully grasp what it really means. As a dietetics student, I get several inquiries about what I think are the “best” diets and what are the “healthiest” things to eat. It is nearly impossible to clearly define one specific way of eating that is generally “healthy” for everyone, but the Mediterranean Diet provides a general format that outlines a specific subset of eating that many people can follow to increase their overall health. The Mediterranean Diet provides a guide on how to eat specific food groups to produce a sustainable, well-rounded diet that will help you achieve a life of health and wellness, rather than restricting the things you eat to achieve short-term weight loss goals like most fad diets. So, what exactly does the Mediterranean Diet consist of? The Mediterranean Diet pyramid is a compact guide to the components and general portion recommendations for each
Read more