Caffeine Aids Performance in Endurance Sport (just don’t poop your pants!)
What is this episode about?
INTRO 0-3:35
Amy & Liz are buzzing from caffeine…..watch out!
Amy was interviewed by Run Outside, an online magazine, about foam rolling and learned a thing or two about how a professional journalist draws out good information from people.....and remembers WE ARE NOT JOURNALISTS! We are athletes and coaches….ampt up on coffee….. winging a podcast! (Just kidding. Kind of).
Caffeine in Endurance Training and Racing
Caffeine can aid performance for endurance sports because it acts on the Neuromuscular system when it is fatigued.
How does caffeine work?
Caffeine causes the release of neurotransmitters (chemicals in the brain) which impacts the brain’s biochemistry. This impacts us in a few ways: it mediates pain during high intensity exercise, improves mood which decreases rate of perceived exertion, and improves focus helping us make better decisions around training and racing.
A key take away is that caffeine physically impacts the brain which then changes our perception of the activity we are doing. It impacts our Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) or how hard an activity feels. This is true in both heat and altitude and may help athletes deal with both factors. Lowering RPE is significant for endurance sport performance.
An athlete’s reaction to caffeine is individual. The timing and amount of caffeine an athlete needs will vary as will the impact. There are faster acting and slower acting sources and it will digest differently for people. This is why it’s imperative to practice taking caffeine during training so you know what works for you.
One dose is 3-6mg of caffeine per KG of body mass. (For frame of reference coffee is said to have 80 - 150g per cup depending on type, how brewed etc).
Sources of caffeine for training / racing: beverage, bar, chew, gum, rinses, gu.
For effective use when training / racing, it's best to take during the later stages when fatigue is setting in.
Caffeine does impact the cardiovascular system. This is generally fine for most athletes but if you have certain conditions like high cholesterol, hypertension, muscle cramping, compartment syndrome you need to check with your doctor before using it in training / racing due to the impact caffeine has on blood flow.
Caffeine stimulates the gut which can cause GI issues. Many athletes drink coffee the morning of a race. Be mindful this can result in GI issues for runners. For triathletes keep in mind we are already ampt up before racing and coffee increases those feelings. If you have tendencies to panic during the swim, caffeine the morning of may not be a good choice.
Show note Links:
Guest, N.S., VanDusseldorp, T.A., Nelson, M.T. et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Caffeine and Exercise Performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 18, 1 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4
Martins GL, Guilherme JPLF, Ferreira LHB, de Souza-Junior TP, Lancha AH Jr. Caffeine and Exercise Performance: Possible Directions for Definitive Findings. Front Sports Act Living. 2020 Dec 11;2:574854. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2020.574854. PMID: 33345139; PMCID: PMC7739593.
Pickering C, Kiely J. Are the Current Guidelines on Caffeine Use in Sport Optimal for Everyone? Inter-individual Variation in Caffeine Ergogenicity, and a Move Towards Personalised Sports Nutrition. Sports Med. 2018 Jan;48(1):7-16. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0776-1. PMID: 28853006; PMCID: PMC5752738.
Rich Roll interviewing neurobiologist Lisa Mosconi -https://www.richroll.com/podcast/lisa-mosconi-819/
Rhabdomyolysis - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4365849/