Many caffeine lovers around the world will love hearing the news that besides waking you up in the morning, caffeine is a well-proven ergogenic aid. Simply put, caffeine has a positive effect on your ability to perform certain types of exercises and sport activities. Numerous studies have shown caffeine allows athletes to train longer and stronger. These effects have been found in activities that last as little as 60 seconds or as long as 2 hours.
· Research provided by the
· Several other studies have shown that caffeine can lessen the muscle pain experienced during exercise. Read Study This could be one reason why exercisers are able to continue working at high levels of intensity for longer periods of time.
· Furthermore recent research has shown that ingesting caffeine post training may help muscles recover quickly after a major workout or competition. In one such study it was found that a combination of carbohydrates and caffeine post high endurance activity favors the replenishment of muscle glycogen (primary muscle fuel source) by 66%.
Caffeine is found in many of the products we love to consume such as coffee, tea, chocolate, energy supplements and soda. But hold on before you refill that cup of java; it should be noted that the ingestion of caffeine in the form of coffee appears to be ineffective compared to the use of pure caffeine sources found in sports drinks and tablets. It is believed that there is some other chemical in coffee which may counteract the sports enhancing effects.
It is important to keep in mind that although a reasonable amount of caffeine (25 to 200 mg) is believed to yield positive sports related benefits, too much caffeine can have undesirable and unhealthful side effects. Overdoing it can make you feel anxious and jittery, disrupt sleep, increase blood pressure and heart rate, give you heartburn and stomach ulcers, and cause dehydration. Caffeine can also have an addictive effect on the body, causing withdrawal effects such as headaches and extreme sluggishness when you try to give it up.
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Some studies have raised safety concerns in the area of caffeine usage in patients with reduced coronary flow reserve, as seen in coronary artery disease, particularly before physical exercise and at high-altitude exposure. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-01/acoc-clb011306.php
Posted by: Marie Spano on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Great post. Caffeine is truly one of the best ergogenic aids in sports (ergogenic aids are anything that enhances sports performance - so the high tech swimsuits of Olympic swimmers are also an ergogenic aid). And, despite the commmonly held belief that caffeine is a diuretic, the Institute of Medicine reviewed the science on caffeine and concluded that caffeine-containing beverages actually contribute to hydration and are not dehyrating in healthy individuals who are regular caffeine consumers. Even if you consume caffeine during physical activity, urine output doesn't increase any more than consuming a non-caffeinated beverage (that's a great thing for people who can't run to the bathroom during a long bike ride or run!). Caffeine does have a weak diuretic effect in individuals who do not consume it regularly but even then, it still isn't detrimental to hydration status.
Posted by: Leslie Ellis on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The All Day Energy 2oz shot is perfect before you work out, running, hiking, etc. I can't drink coffee before doing these activities because it gives me a stomach ache or heartburn and is just too much liquid. Plus it doesn't give me any of the coffee jitters. Maybe it's in my head, but I swear it makes me jump higher when I play volleyball!