Coffee shops seem to be everywhere and always full. Evidently, it is a beloved drink for many, and it comes in all forms and colours: Cold or warm; big or small; dark or light roast. Interestingly, many people may not realize the impact that caffeine can have on sport performance. It can be an underestimated assistant in attaining better performances, especially in endurance sports.
Caffeine as an Ergogenic Aid (1,2)
Caffeine is a substance that can be characterized as an ergogenic aid due to its possible effects on sport performance.
“Ergogenic aids are substances or devices that enhance energy production, use or recovery and provide athletes with a competitive advantage.”
Ahrendt, D. M. (2001)
Ergogenic aids can provide a competitive advantage in sport performances. Consuming caffeine may improve performance through 3 main mechanisms:
- Increased intracellular calcium mobilization
- Increase in free fatty acid oxidation
- Act as an adenosine receptor antagonist (counteracts the effects of adenosine receptors)
Caffeine, as an antagonist of adenosine receptors is the mechanism that has the greatest impact on sport performance. Adenosine receptors inhibit neuroexcitability, neurotransmitter release, and arousal. Basically, adenosine receptors make humans feel tired. However, caffeine is able to counteract the tiredness effects of adenosine receptors, making consumers feel less tired, and possibly improving sport performance!
Adenosine receptors have a direct effect on central fatigue. Basically, caffeine’s effect on central fatigue means that athletes can have a reduced level of perceived effort (known as a rating of perceived exertion), perceived pain, and perceived intensity. These three factors can all influence performance, notably endurance sport performance.
How is Caffeine Ingested(2,3)
Here are some of the most common ways to ingest caffeine:
- Caffeine capsules/pills
- Gum
- Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Solutions
- Coffee
The four ways of consuming caffeine have different considerations. For example, caffeine ingested with gum leads to a faster absorption rate than caffeine capsules. Caffeinated gum causes the body to ingest the caffeine at the level of the mouth which leads to faster absorption because of something called buccal mucosa. Capsules are slower to absorb because absorption happens in the intestine. Generally, caffeine will appear in the blood within 30 minutes of ingestion. This is a key factor in timing the ingestion of caffeine for competitive performances. As a rule of thumb, consuming caffeine 1 hour before the start of an activity will yield the best result.
Note: Caffeine breaks down slowly and remains in the system for 4-6 hours
Sport Performance Improvements and Caffeine
The positive impact of caffeine on sport performance (specifically endurance sport) seems indisputable. The improvements noted in multiple studies have shown improvements of up to 17.3% in extreme cases. The variability in improvements observed due to caffeine intake tends to be related to the amount that is taken rather than how it is taken.
Minimal improvements are observed when 3 mg/kg is ingested. Lower doses (less than 3 mg/kg) have seen positive but variable results. On average, it would seem that 3 mg/kg should be the minimum to obtain performance benefits. Anything above 6 mg/kg does not seem to lead to better results. By saying all of this, we acknowledge that individual differences will yield different performance outcomes.
Factors Affecting the Effects of Caffeine (2)
As noted, the amount of caffeine ingested seems to be a key factor in the results observed in sports. Another important factor affecting the effects it may have on performance is how often one consumes coffee. For example, a larger dosage will likely be needed for someone with frequent use of caffeine.
Adenosine receptors were introduced above as a key component in caffeine and sport performance. Caffeine affects adenosine receptors, but people have varying numbers of adenosine receptors and not everyone’s receptors are as sensitive to caffeine consumption. In theory, someone who consumes caffeine more frequently will require more dosage to affect the adenosine receptor mechanism.
Getting the Best Performance Outcomes (2)
Depending on your movement goals, you may strive for the best possible performance outcomes or you may simply seek pleasure. If you are looking to achieve the best possible outcomes in your performance, you may consider abstaining from coffee for a certain amount of time before a competition day to maximize the performance improvements.
As a general rule, abstaining for up to 4 days before competition day has resulted in better performance outcomes. In addition, the performance improvements are greater with non-users compared to usual coffee consumers. The exact number of days of abstinence needed to maximize results is not known. But based on animal studies, it seems that adenosine receptor sensitivity is optimized in 7 days. So, for the athletes who plan on abstaining to get the best sport performance, 7 days of abstinence is what you should aim for.
Note: Abstaining from anything can cause withdrawal symptoms and doing so with caffeine is no different. Some withdrawal symptoms observed are headaches, fatigue, lethargy, and flu type symptoms.
Over-consumption of Coffee
Coffee has health and sport performance benefits, but, with excessive consumption, negative effects exist. For example, overconsumption may impact sleep, cause nervousness and restlessness, and cause diarrhea.
Summary
To sum it all up, caffeine is an ergogenic aid that can help athletes of different levels achieve greater athletic performance. Greater athletic performance is achieved predominantly because of the adeno mechanism which is directly linked to central fatigue. People hoping to optimize their athletic results can abstain from caffeine for up to 7 days and intake between 3 mg/kg to 6 mg/kg on competition day. Also, it is recommended to take caffeine within 60 minutes prior to the start of the event. Importantly, these suggestions have been found to be most effective in longer endurance activities.
Enjoy your coffee!
References
- Ahrendt, D. M. (2001). Ergogenic aids: counseling the athlete. American family physician, 63(5), 913-922
- Ganio, M. S., Klau, J. F., Casa, D. J., Armstrong, L. E., & Maresh, C. M. (2009). Effect of caffeine on sport-specific endurance performance: a systematic review. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 23(1), 315-324. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31818b979a
- Spriet, L. L. (2014). Exercise and sport performance with low doses of caffeine. Sports medicine, 44(2), 175-184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0257-8
