Caffeine good for workouts?

Written by Natalie

You may have heard that consuming caffeine prior to exercise can help increase performance and stamina. Caffeine is one of the most widespread and socially acceptable drugs consumed in the world and is found in the diets of most athletes, appearing in products like energy drinks, sports gels and dieting aids.



Research suggests that sport and exercise performance may be improved by consuming as little as 150-250mg of caffeine which is the equivalent of 1-2 cups of coffee. Research shows that caffeine increases endurance and improves performance over a wide range of exercise, particularly those that are prolonged or exhaustive. It has also been reported that caffeine can reduce fatigue, improve concentration and raise mental alertness. Although caffeine does not improve maximal oxygen capacity, it does allow the athlete to train longer and harder. In a study done by Cox et al. (2002) it was found that caffeine improved cycling time-trial performance by up to 3.4%.

However, there are a few concerns out there regarding pre-sport caffeine consumption. Whilst most research agrees that caffeine can have a positive effect on sporting performance, dieticians do not recommend it for those who do not already consume caffeine regularly as it could cause pre-race nervousness and impair hand steadiness. Another common concern with caffeine intake is that it is a known diuretic and may dehydrate the athlete. Graham (2001) disagrees with this, stating that it would take several hours for any dehydration to occur so there is no basis for worry.

Studies by Graham (2001) show that athletes who consumed caffeine as well as carbohydrates after exercise had higher levels of glycogen in their muscles four hours later compared to those who just took carbohydrates. Glycogen is the fuel that muscles use to function so increased levels of glycogen after a workout will help you recover faster and perform better the next day.
So athletes, drink half of your favourite energy drink before your workout and half after and track your results!