{"id":8844,"date":"2023-11-16T07:11:25","date_gmt":"2023-11-16T00:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8844"},"modified":"2023-11-16T07:11:25","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T00:11:25","slug":"how-caffeine-improves-athletic-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8844","title":{"rendered":"How Caffeine Improves Athletic Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">C<\/span>affeine is a well-studied and effective ergogenic aid. That means it improves endurance and speed. But before you go pounding energy drinks before exercising, let\u2019s look at how much you need. While caffeine can improve athletic performance, too much may leave you jittery and dehydrated\u2014not exactly ideal during a workout. Like almost all things in life, there\u2019s a balance to achieve. Just enough to aid performance but not so much that you feel like garbage.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s the sweet spot? How do you introduce caffeine without going overboard? Here are some expert opinions on adding caffeine to your athletic regimen so you can crush your goals.<\/p>\n<div class=\"\">\n<hr\/>\n<div class=\"experts-in-article noskim py-[24px] px-[40px]\">\n<p>Experts In This Article<\/p>\n<ul class=\"!ml-[18px]\">\n<li> <a href=\"\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" class=\"no-underline citation\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"><span>Celine Thompson, RDN<\/span><sup>1<\/sup><\/a>, registered dietitian nutritionist <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionbymandy.com\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/nutritionbymandy.com\/\">Mandy Tyler, RD, CSSD, LD<\/a>, registered dietitian <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/roxanaehsani.com\/about\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/roxanaehsani.com\/about\/\">Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN<\/a>, Miami-based registered dietitian nutritionist and National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<h2>How caffeine improves athletic performance<\/h2>\n<p>Wondering if it\u2019s worth it to use caffeine before your next workout? Sports dietitian, <a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionbymandy.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/nutritionbymandy.com\">Mandy Tyler<\/a>, RD, CSSD, LD, says athletes often consume caffeine prior to exercising to help increase alertness, reduce feelings of effort, or help with training at a higher intensity.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, not only is caffeine one of the most widely used legal substances by athletes, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.roxanaehsani.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.roxanaehsani.com\">Roxana Ehsani<\/a>, RD, CSSD, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and board-certified sports dietitian, but it also has proven benefits. \u201cA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6835847\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6835847\/\">review<\/a> found that male athletes were able to produce more power, were speedier, and were able to lift a greater amount of weight with caffeine,&#8221; she says.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/caffeine-improves-athletic-performance\/\" current-title=\"Yes, Caffeine Will Improve Your Athletic Performance. But How Much Is Too Much?\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/GettyImages-1334163299_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-05-15\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/caffeine-improves-athletic-performance\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/caffeine-improves-athletic-performance\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/caffeine-improves-athletic-performance\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>What about females? Well, the <a href=\"https:\/\/bjsm.bmj.com\/content\/54\/11\/681.long\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/bjsm.bmj.com\/content\/54\/11\/681.long\">menstrual cycle tends to throw a little wrench into study design and results<\/a>, so there is much more supportive data for males. However, <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31574901\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31574901\/\">researchers<\/a> have found that caffeine seems to be a more effective ergogenic aid in aerobic activities (i.e., sprints, weight-lifting) in males than in females.<\/p>\n<p>Are you a runner or cyclist? <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31574901\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31574901\/\">Caffeine can help you push longer<\/a>. Males and females alike. \u201cCaffeine can help most types of athletes, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1440244018304596\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1440244018304596\">endurance<\/a> to power athletes,\u201d said Ehsani. She added, \u201cI\u2019d recommend caffeine before activity for athletes who are undergoing competition\u2014before a game for team sport athletes such as soccer or basketball players or before a race for endurance-based athletes like marathoners or triathletes.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>How much caffeine do you need?<\/h2>\n<p>The amount of caffeine needed for your training session or competition varies based on your weight. \u201cGenerally it\u2019s recommended to consume three to six milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight in the hour before exercise,\u201d Tyler says.<\/p>\n<p>Find your weight in kilograms by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs, you\u2019d be about 68 kg. So you\u2019d shoot for ~200 mg caffeine. You can get this from most <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34578821\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34578821\/\">energy drinks<\/a>, 10\u201312 ounces of cold brew, or a 14\u201316 oz. <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37498180\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37498180\/\">coffee<\/a> or Americano. Take note: The amount of caffeine in coffee is dependent on how it\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/coffee-brewing-methods-caffeine\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/coffee-brewing-methods-caffeine\/\">brewed<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>There are also caffeine additives for your water, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/nuun-sport-caffeine-electrolyte-tablets\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/nuun-sport-caffeine-electrolyte-tablets\/\">tablets<\/a> or pre-workout powder. Besides caffeinated beverages, you could try caffeine supplements like energy gels, gums, capsules, or chews.<\/p>\n<h2>How much caffeine is too much?<\/h2>\n<p>When it comes to caffeine, Tyler cautions against assuming more is better. \u201cHigh doses of caffeine\u20149 mg\/kg of body weight or more\u2014may cause negative side effects, such as jitters, nausea, or anxiety,\u201d she says. She also warns to double-check the ingredient lists of energy drinks, energy shots, or pre-workout powders as they can include other stimulants besides caffeine like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/foods-with-caffeine\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/foods-with-caffeine\/\">guarana<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Besides feeling jittery and anxious, you may hinder your workout if you take in too much caffeine beforehand. \u201cBe mindful that caffeine is a diuretic, and excessive amounts can lead to excessive urination, potentially causing dehydration,&#8221; says registered dietitian, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fuelingfertility.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.fuelingfertility.com\/\">Celine Thompson<\/a>, RDN. &#8220;To avoid overdoing it, limit your daily caffeine intake to 400 milligrams, and be on the lookout for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/signs-drinking-too-much-coffee\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/signs-drinking-too-much-coffee\/\">signs [of overconsumption]<\/a> like nervousness, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty sleeping.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>When should you consume caffeine?<\/h2>\n<p>Your early morning cup of joe won\u2019t give you bonus strength or endurance if your workout is in the late afternoon. For caffeine to improve your athletic performance, <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31477133\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31477133\/\">consumption needs to be timed properly<\/a>. Ehsani recommends<a href=\"https:\/\/jissn.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s12970-020-00383-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/jissn.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s12970-020-00383-4\"> consuming caffeine about 45 to 60 minutes prior to activity<\/a> as it takes about that long for its effects to peak.<\/p>\n<p>You may also find it beneficial to take caffeine <em>while<\/em> you&#8217;re exercising. It\u2019s been <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27426699\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27426699\/\">reported<\/a> that trained cyclists who consumed caffeine in the last third of their workout saw an improvement in performance. If you\u2019re already fueling mid-workout with an energy gel or jelly beans, you could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-to-eat-during-a-marathon\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-to-eat-during-a-marathon\/\">try products that have caffeine added<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Here\u2019s how to start<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s best to ease into caffeine supplementation, especially if you don\u2019t normally consume caffeine. \u201cIf you&#8217;re new to caffeine supplements, start with 1\u20132 mgs per kilogram of body weight and try it in your training first to avoid side effects like jitters,\u201d Thompson advises.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/i-quit-coffee-benefits\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/i-quit-coffee-benefits\/\">Have you kicked a caffeine addiction<\/a> and you don\u2019t want to start back up? It\u2019s okay. You can still train hard and see results. \u201cWhile caffeine can <a href=\"https:\/\/jissn.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s12970-020-00383-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/jissn.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s12970-020-00383-4\">enhance<\/a> performance, it&#8217;s not necessary for optimal results. Good nutrition and training are the primary factors,\u201d Thompson says. Caffeine is just an option to give you the edge when you\u2019re looking to take it up a notch.<\/p>\n<div class=\"block-thin post-citations mt-[40px] mb-[30px]\" data-module-init=\"main-2020\/post-citations\" data-module-immediate=\"true\">\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mb-[24px]\"\/>\n<div class=\"post-citations-content flex flex-col gap-[24px]\">\n<p>Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.<\/p>\n<div>\n<ol class=\"!ml-[18px] !mt-0\">\n<li>\n              Mielgo-Ayuso, Juan et al. \u201cEffect of Caffeine Supplementation on Sports Performance Based on Differences Between Sexes: A Systematic Review.\u201d\u00a0<i>Nutrients<\/i>\u00a0vol. 11,10 2313. 30 Sep. 2019, doi:10.3390\/nu11102313            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Grgic J, Grgic I, Pickering C, Schoenfeld BJ, Bishop DJ, Pedisic Z. Wake up and smell the coffee: caffeine supplementation and exercise performance-an umbrella review of 21 published meta-analyses. <em>Br J Sports Med<\/em>. 2020;54(11):681-688. doi:10.1136\/bjsports-2018-100278            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Mielgo-Ayuso, Juan et al. \u201cEffect of Caffeine Supplementation on Sports Performance Based on Differences Between Sexes: A Systematic Review.\u201d\u00a0<i>Nutrients<\/i>\u00a0vol. 11,10 2313. 30 Sep. 2019, doi:10.3390\/nu11102313            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Mielgo-Ayuso, Juan et al. \u201cEffect of Caffeine Supplementation on Sports Performance Based on Differences Between Sexes: A Systematic Review.\u201d\u00a0<i>Nutrients<\/i>\u00a0vol. 11,10 2313. 30 Sep. 2019, doi:10.3390\/nu11102313            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Shen JG, Brooks MB, Cincotta J, Manjourides JD. Establishing a relationship between the effect of caffeine and duration of endurance athletic time trial events: A systematic review and meta-analysis. <em>J Sci Med Sport<\/em>. 2019;22(2):232-238. doi:10.1016\/j.jsams.2018.07.022            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Jim\u00e9nez, Sergio L et al. \u201cCaffeinated Drinks and Physical Performance in Sport: A Systematic Review.\u201d\u00a0<i>Nutrients<\/i>\u00a0vol. 13,9 2944. 25 Aug. 2021, doi:10.3390\/nu13092944            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Lowery, Lonnie M et al. \u201cInternational society of sports nutrition position stand: coffee and sports performance.\u201d\u00a0<i>Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition<\/i>\u00a0vol. 20,1 (2023): 2237952. doi:10.1080\/15502783.2023.2237952            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Stecker, Richard A et al. \u201cTiming of ergogenic aids and micronutrients on muscle and exercise performance.\u201d\u00a0<i>Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition<\/i>\u00a0vol. 16,1 37. 2 Sep. 2019, doi:10.1186\/s12970-019-0304-9            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Lowery LM, Anderson DE, Scanlon KF, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: coffee and sports performance. <em style=\"font-family: 'PT Serif', serif;\">J Int Soc Sports Nutr<\/em>. 2023;20(1):2237952. doi:10.1080\/15502783.2023.2237952            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Talanian, Jason L, and Lawrence L Spriet. \u201cLow and moderate doses of caffeine late in exercise improve performance in trained cyclists.\u201d\u00a0<i>Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme<\/i>\u00a0vol. 41,8 (2016): 850-5. doi:10.1139\/apnm-2016-0053            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Guest, N.S., VanDusseldorp, T.A., Nelson, M.T. <em>et al.<\/em> International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. <em>J Int Soc Sports Nutr<\/em> 18, 1 (2021). <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12970-020-00383-4\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12970-020-00383-4<\/a>            <\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mt-[24px]\"\/>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Caffeine is a well-studied and effective ergogenic aid. That means it improves endurance and speed. But before you go pounding energy drinks before exercising, let\u2019s look at how much you need. While caffeine can improve athletic performance, too much may leave you jittery and dehydrated\u2014not exactly ideal during a workout. Like almost all things in &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8845,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8844","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8844","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8844"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8844\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8845"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}