Caffeine: The Forgotten Ergogenic Aid

glock40_1979

doi: 10.1519/1533-4295(2004)026<0050:CTFEA>2.0.CO;2
Strength and Conditioning Journal: Vol. 26, No. 6, pp. 50–51.

Caffeine: The Forgotten Ergogenic Aid
Jose Antonio, PhD, CSCS, Chief Executive Officer

International Society of Sports Nutrition, Deerfield Beach, Florida

ABSTRACT

Caffeine is a safe and effective ergogenic aid for endurance and strength-power athletes; moreover, its thermogenic properties make it an oft-used tool for altering body composition.

Caffeine is the most commonly consumed drug in the world. It is likely that its use will not decline any time soon because it is inexpensive, medically safe, socially acceptable, and legal (9). Caffeine may affect stimulatory receptors in the central nervous system, as well as metabolic receptors in peripheral tissues, such as skeletal muscles, and it may have the ability to influence psychological states and alter pain perception (8).

One of the first studies to investigate caffeine's effect on exercise metabolism and performance was performed by Costill et al. (4). Subjects consumed either decaffeinated coffee or caffeinated coffee with 330 mg of caffeine 60 minutes prior to exercise. Time to exhaustion was over 19% greater in the caffeine trial compared to the decaffeinated trial. Erickson et al. (5) demonstrated that caffeine supplementation prior to exercise reduced muscle glycogen utilization by 30%. Spriet et al. (10) reported a 55% decrease in muscle glycogenolysis in just the first 15 minutes of exercise during the caffeine trail.

More recent work by Bell et al. (2) has further substantiated the ergogenic effects of caffeine and explained how this effect can be maintained throughout the day. In this study, 9 male caffeine users performed exercise rides to exhaustion at 80% O2 max after ingesting a placebo, 5 mg/kg of caffeine (approximately 398 mg of caffeine for a 175 lb individual), or 2.5 mg/kg of caffeine one hour before the endurance ride. Two endurance rides were performed weekly on the same day, one in the morning (AM) and one 5 hours later in the afternoon (PM). There were 4 treatments: trial A representing 5 mg/kg caffeine in the AM and 2.5 mg/kg caffeine in the PM; trial B representing placebo in both AM and PM; trial C representing 5 mg/kg caffeine in the AM and placebo in the PM; and trial D representing a placebo in the AM and 5 mg/kg caffeine in the PM. The order of the treatment trials was double blind and randomized.

Caffeine ingestion significantly increased exercise time to exhaustion in the AM by up to 14%. This effect was maintained in the PM and was greater than placebo regardless of whether redosing or placebo followed the initial morning dose. Thus, it was concluded that redosing with caffeine after exhaustive exercise in the AM was not necessary to maintain the ergogenic effect during subsequent exercise 5 hours later. From a practical standpoint, this shows that one can ingest caffeine in the morning and still derive benefits later in the day.

Based on the available science, it is evident that a dose of 5 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight is needed to see performance effect. This ergogenic effect can be seen with endurance exercise as well as sprint performance. (3)

Side Effects Return to TOC

It should be noted that there are various case reports on caffeine toxicity and overdose. For instance, there is a case of a 16-year-old male who ingested an estimated 6–8 grams of caffeine. This patient manifested many of the adverse effects seen in acute caffeine ingestion such as hypokalemia, elevated blood glucose, tachycardia, and agitation. Respiratory alkalosis and chest pain, which had not been previously reported in caffeine overdose to our knowledge, were also noted in this patient (7). There was another case of a 20-year-old bulimic woman who ingested 20 g of caffeine in a suicide attempt. After being evaluated and discharged from the emergency department, she was readmitted with electrocardiogram alterations and was discovered to have had a subendocardial infarction. According to the authors, “this case highlights the wide-ranging health consequences of eating disorders and the toxicity of caffeine overdose” (6). The doses seen in these victims are 20 to 60 times greater than the required ergogenic dose of caffeine. Thus, as with any drug or ergogenic aid, there is potential for abuse.

Caffeine as a Dehydrating Agent Return to TOC

Armstrong et al. reviewed the scientific literature to determine if indeed caffeine posed a problem in relation to dehydration. It is apparent that caffeine consumption stimulates a mild diuresis similar to water; however, there is no evidence of a fluid-electrolyte imbalance that is detrimental to exercise performance or health. In fact, studies that have compared caffeine (100–680 mg) to water or placebo seldom found a statistical difference in urine volume. Additionally, tolerance to caffeine reduces the likelihood that a detrimental fluid-electrolyte imbalance will occur. Thus, the notion that caffeine might have an ergolytic effect due to diuresis is not supported by the existing data (1).

References Return to TOC

1. Armstrong, L.E. Caffeine, body fluid-electrolyte balance, and exercise performance. Int. J. Sport Nutr. Exerc. Metab. 12:189–206. 2002.

2. Bell, D.G., and T.M. McLellan. Effect of repeated caffeine ingestion on repeated exhaustive exercise endurance. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 35:1348–1354. 2003.

3. Collomp, K., S. Ahmaidi, J.C. Chatard, M. Audran, and C. Prefaut. Benefits of caffeine ingestion on sprint performance in trained and untrained swimmers. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. Occup. Physiol. 64:377–380. 1992.

4. Costill, D.L., G.P. Dalsky, and W.J. Fink. Effects of caffeine ingestion on metabolism and exercise performance. Med. Sci. Sports. 10:155–158. 1978.

5. Erickson, M.A., R.J. Schwarzkopf, and R.D. McKenzie. Effects of caffeine, fructose, and glucose ingestion on muscle glycogen utilization during exercise. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 19:579–583. 1987.

6. Forman, J., A. Aizer, and C.R. Young. Myocardial infarction resulting from caffeine overdose in an anorectic woman. Ann. Emerg. Med. 29:178–180. 1997.

7. Leson, C.L., M.A. McGuigan, and S.M. Bryson. Caffeine overdose in an adolescent male. J. Toxicol. Clin. Toxicol. 26:407–415. 1988.

8. O'Connor, P.J., R.W. Motl, S.P. Broglio, and M.R. Ely. Dose-dependent effect of caffeine on reducing leg muscle pain during cycling exercise is unrelated to systolic blood pressure. Pain. 109:291–298. 2004.

9. Sinclair, C.J.D., and J.D. Geinger. Caffeine use in sports a pharmacological review. J. Sports Med. Phys. Fit. 401) 71–77. 2000.

10. Spriet, L.L., D.A. MacLean, D.J. Dyck, E. Hultman, G. Cederblad, and T.E. Graham. Caffeine ingestion and muscle metabolism during prolonged exercise in humans. Am. J. Physiol. 262:E891–E898. 1992.

soontoberipped

Nice post bro.

__________________
You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take ~ Gretzky

JoshuaFerrari

You need permission to post up your site on the board.

Thank you!

--Mallet--

9MM

Take this shit elsewhere Joshua.

BlueThunder

I would suggest MODS watch this guy JJ...

Mizfit

go get em:)

__________________
karma is directly related to the motivation behind an action, not the action itself.

9MM

As long as I have your backing

Mizfit

haha i need to be contained..

I actually don't drink caffeine.. or try not too

__________________
karma is directly related to the motivation behind an action, not the action itself.

9MM

Doesn't mix well with your Ritalin?

9MM

Well?

Mizfit

haha..

It's funny.. i used to drink alot of pop and would've said no it mixes fine with rialim.. but now that i am totally off caffeine.. I can honestly see the difference.

Other things such as energy drinks and caffeines pills have always been off limits because they send me into extreme over drive

__________________
karma is directly related to the motivation behind an action, not the action itself.

HenrosePore

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