That’s not necessarily a humble cup of Nescafé they’re using
for a pre-performance pep-up, either. Caffeine, in the form of
bespoke sports supplement drinks and gels, is a multi-million
dollar business in its own right. So what makes it – no matter what
format it comes in – so integral to sport and exercise in general?
“There is no doubt that caffeine aids sporting performances,”
insists nutritionist Matt Lovell, who has worked with elite cyclists
and a number of English Premier League football teams. “A meta-
analysis of studies suggests anywhere between a two to 16 percent
increase in performance can be credited to caffeine intake.”CAN YOU KICK IT?The reason why it gives us such a kick is down to its manipulation
of the brain’s fatigue receptors. Caffeine has been shown to bind to
these receptors – effectively cutting off their communication – while
also encouraging the release of the stress hormones (adrenaline
and noradrenaline) that facilitate our ‘fight or flight’ response.
“You can focus a bit harder and go a bit longer using caffeine,
and everything seems slightly less hard in terms of rate of perceived
exertion,” suggests Lovell.
While the coffee itself might be fresh, the use of caffeine to jack
up your output on the track, in the gym or on the road certainly
isn’t. In 1928, the US Olympic Team shipped 1000 cases of Coca-
Cola out to the Amsterdam Games – and that wasn’t because they
wanted to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.
AlthoughCoca-Cola’sexactreciperemainsa closelyguarded
secret,oneofitsknownkeycomponentsis caffeine(fromthe
kolanut).Thedrinksbrandhasbeena closeallyoftheUSTeam
andtheOlympicseversince.“Endurance-wise,caffeinehelps
yourunfurther,soit delaysfatigue,”reiteratesLovell.“Youjust
havetooffsetthedehydratingeffectswithadequatefluidsand
electrolyteintake.”
Perhapsthemostprominentsporttobeinfluencedbythefresh
approachtocoffeeandcaffeinehasbeencycling.Theboomin
bikesandthecrazeforcoffeehavecomplementedoneanother,
andstoppingforanespressois asmucha partofthecycling
sportiveaspuncturesandchafing– thougha lotmorewelcome.
AccordingtoNigelMitchell,cyclingperformancenutritionistand
authorofFuellingTheCyclingRevolution, it paystousecaffeine
sparingly.“Togetthemostbeneficialeffectsofcoffeeonyour
cyclingfora keyevent,”hesays,“youmaywanttoconsider
abstainingfromit forsevendaysbeforehand.”
Theoutcomecouldactuallymakea seriousdentonyourride
times,too,asresearchintotheeffectsofcaffeineonthepaceof
musclerecoveryandenergyreplenishmenthasshown.A team
fromtheGarvanInstituteofMedicalResearchinSydneyfound
thatendurancecyclistswhoingestedcaffeine(8mgperkiloofbody
weight)withcarbshad 66 percentmoreglycogenintheirmusclesBetter latte
than never
l Both Lindsay and
Lovell suggest that
personal tastes and
tolerance levels will
influence how much
caffeine you have
and which format to
take it in. “I’m a double
espresso person,
I prefer the more
natural caffeine intake
than supplement
gels,” says Lindsay.
An effective amount
of caffeine can be
around 0.3mg / per kilo
of body weight. “But
users may get excellent
effects using less than
this,” he says. “A No-
Doz tablet contains
100mg caffeine, and
one of these gives a
good kick for most non-
habitual caffeine users.
A strong coffee can
have the same effect.”
Supplements used on
events like endurance
cycle rides to give
an ergogenic boost
can pack a much
stronger punch.Worth the
weight
l Caffeine has been
credited with helping
some to maintain a
healthy weight, though
there’s little in the way
of hard evidence to
say it’s an aid to long-
term weight loss.
“Caffeine releases
stress hormones,
which you need to
signal fat burning,”
says Lovell. “It’s also
a central nervous
system stimulant and
a strong cup (double
espresso) can speed up
the body’s metabolism.
But the key is not to
use too much for too
long, as you can always
deplete the stress
hormone system and
get diminishing returns
on caffeine use.”Smarten up
l Even the smell of
coffee can improve
your performance.
Research from the
Stevens Institute of
Technology, US, found
that the scent of coffee
helped people perform
better on the analytical
portion of the Graduate
Management Aptitude
Test, a computer
adaptive test required
by many US business
schools. Another US
study from Ohio State
University found that
people gave more
positive reviews for
their work group’s
performance on a
task - and their own
contribution - if they
drank caffeinated
coffee beforehand.Game, set... cuppa?
Hopman Cup 2015:
Serena Williams
orders a shot of
espresso mid-match.Waking up and smelling the coffee has
become the workout warm-up of choice for
growing numbers of gym-goers, endurance
sports enthusiasts and athletes of all levels. Three
out of every four athletes will have consumed
caffeine before taking part in a training session or
competition event, according to one Spanish study,
carried out to determine the extent of caffeine
usage among athletes after it was removed from
the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list.
“Endurance-
wise, caffeine
helps you run
further, so it
delays fatigue.”82 MEN’S FITNESS OCTOBER 2019four hours after finishing intense exercise, compared to when they
consumed carbs alone. “If you have 66 percent more fuel for the
next day’s training or competition, there’s no question you will go
farther or faster,” said Dr John Hawley, the study’s senior author.
But while the benefits for marathon runners and MaMiLs
(Middle-aged Men in Lycra) may be apparent – the black stuff
drowns out the screaming sinews and tired tendons while
helping store glycogen for longer – it’s not so clear as to why more
explosive types, like sprinters and weightlifters, might benefit
from a pre-workout coffee. Here, we take a look at the facts on
caffeine, what the research says and what the experts recommend.