April 12, 2023
by Abigail Porch
Caffeine is found in many foods and beverages, and nearly 90% of the U.S. population consumes it on a regular basis.
With the enormous amount of research done on coffee and caffeine over the years, it’s safe to say that caffeine holds great value within the fitness industry.
Not to mention, coffee provides antioxidants and various additional health benefits. Like most other substances, it can have negative side effects if abused, but that doesn’t
mean it should be completely overlooked if utilized properly.
Keep reading to learn about how caffeine is processed in the body, proper caffeine dosages, timing for optimal performance benefits, and tips to stay hydrated while caffeinating.
How Caffeine is Absorbed In The Body
Caffeine works differently than you may have thought.
Instead of giving you energy directly, it blocks the fact that you are tired. Let’s get into the science behind it.
Your Central Nervous System (CNS) produces adenosine throughout the day as it carries out bodily functions. When levels of this neurotransmitter increase in your body,
you begin to get tired. Caffeine blocks these adenosine receptor sites, and instead makes you produce adrenaline and cortisol. The release of these hormones is what amps you up and gives you that extra energy boost that we all rely on so much.
Benefits of Caffeine on Athletic Performance
Research suggests that both caffeine supplements and regular coffee provide benefits for exercise performance. Studies have shown that caffeine can improve sports performance by as much as 12% in field sports coordination, and 10% in endurance competitions. Some significant performance enhancements include decreases in reaction time, sustained maximal endurance and extended time to exhaustion during high-intensity long-duration exercise.
Caffeine may also offer benefits for strength-power and sprint activities. Recent research studies have shown promising results linking caffeine ingestion prior to resistance training with increased total repetitions that could be performed, and
significantly decreased delayed onset muscle soreness.
Not surprisingly, many athletes also report greater mental clarity and focus.
Caffeine Dosing and Sources
Optimal dosing for improving athletic performance is between 3-6 mg/kg body weight. Finding your individual dosage amount based on your body weight is recommended,
because lower amounts do not offer a significant benefit and higher doses offer no additional benefits, with the risk of negative performance consequences.
Some common caffeine sources include:
Coffee (8 oz.): 80-100 mg
Green Coffee (8 oz.): 20-25 mg
Espresso (1 oz.): 40-75 mg
Green tea (8 oz.): 15-30 mg
Black tea (8 oz.): 40-75 mg
Cola (12 oz.): 30-47 mg
Chocolate (bittersweet 1 oz.): 25 mg
How To Supplement With Caffeine
There are several things to keep in mind when supplementing with caffeine.
If you regularly consume coffee, energy drinks, caffeinated soda, or dark chocolate, you may experience fewer benefits from caffeine supplements. This is because your body
has developed a tolerance to caffeine.
As previously mentioned, when supplementing with caffeine, the dose is often based on body weight, set at around 3–6 mg/kg (1.4-2.7 mg/lb) of body weight. When supplementing with caffeine, it is recommended to start at a low dose — around 150–200 mg — to assess your tolerance. Then increase from there to seek a maximum performance benefit. But keep in mind that caffeine content varies from one drink to another, so make a habit of checking the caffeine content of your coffee. You may be able to drink more cups of instant coffee or decaf coffee than espresso.
Caffeine Timing
Now that caffeine dosage has been addressed, let’s discuss the appropriate timing. Remember we talked about how caffeine causes your body to release adrenaline and
cortisol? Well it’s all about timing.
Depending on the individual, caffeine hits your system with peak power anywhere from 30-60 min after consumption. However, make sure to test this protocol first if you’re not
used to taking caffeine. For the sake of maintaining your sleep schedule and still getting good quality sleep, a good principle to follow is to limit consumption to 1-2 cups of coffee or other caffeinated beverages a day, and stop drinking by 12-2pm.
Staying Hydrated
One important consideration when it comes to caffeine, is that it’s a diuretic, which means it can have a dehydrating effect. This means when you drink coffee or another caffeine source, urine output increases. In general, dehydration occurs when your body’s fluid balance is altered, particularly when fluid loss is greater than fluid intake.
In theory, since caffeine increases fluid loss through urination, it would also result in dehydration. However, research shows that caffeinated beverages, in moderation, aren’t likely to cause dehydration. Although caffeine itself can cause dehydration, the additional water in coffee and tea helps offset the mild diuretic effect of caffeine.
However, drinking large amounts of caffeine or pairing moderate intake with other intense activities that cause excessive sweating can still compound the risk of
dehydration. You can stay fully hydrated throughout the day by drinking water and other fluids, as well as eating foods that are hydrating. Drinking an extra cup of water for each cup of
coffee is a convenient rule of thumb, but actual signs of dehydration may be a better way of determining your fluid balance.
You can monitor if you’re getting enough fluids during the day by checking your urine color and output. If you're urinating every two to four hours, the output is light-colored, and there's significant volume, then you're probably well-hydrated.
