Caffeine & Sports

Caffeine can boost athletic stamina and speed so much that the International Olympic Committee once limited how much of it Olympic athletes could take. Caffeine was categorized as a performance-enhancing substance.

The regular athlete might not be able to run a marathon in 2:02.57 like Dennis Kimetto, but maybe after an invigorating jolt of java you can one run just a little bit quicker and burn some fat in the process. Caffeine can improve performance by 1.5 to 3 percent, recent studies show. And the amount needed to give the boost is no more than that in an 8-ounce cup of coffee or an energy drink or two.

Some of our favorite athletes are just like us – they have their everyday caffeine regimenand love it.

But did you know that some athletes don’t just have it as part of their morning routine; they also use it to boost sports performance?

In fact, three-fourths of the world’s elite athletes take advantage of caffeine’s performance-enhancing properties. 

But have athletes always been allowed to drink coffee and other products with caffeine in them, especially right before the sport?

If so, how much are they allowed to consume?

Caffeine has been known for its several benefits – from something so simple as helping you get over that afternoon slump, to lowered risk of Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.

And for those wanting to lose weight, listen up!

Caffeine can also INCREASE METABOLISM.

Yes, you read that right. In fact, increased metabolism is observed for up to three hours after consuming 8 mg/kg of coffee (1).

So how exactly does the magic happen?

What if I tell you that aside from perking you up, caffeine can also help you concentrate and become more productive?

If, during mind-numbing, brain-wracking moments, you want to feel like Popeye going for a whole can of spinach, just reach out for the coffee-maker and you’re likely to feel the same! (For the best java experience, know when’s the best time to drink your coffee here.)

Caffeine can also help you absorb information and remember them more efficiently.

Yep! Our favorite stimulant can boost mental performance in more ways than one. Have a cuppa and you’ll find yourself retaining more information from classes and business meetings, kill it in planning and problem-solving, and finish those day-to-day tasks efficiently.

Without further ado, here are 8 ways caffeine can help us take a step closer to becoming Einstein-genius:

If a workout is one of those things you do first thing in the morning, then you must be familiar with the sluggish feeling of getting out of bed,and getting to the gym.

So what do you do?

You make your way to the coffee maker for that extra jolt.

But is caffeine before a workout a good idea?

Caffeine does more than just wake you up. It’s the most widely used stimulant/substance/drug (however way you want to call it) for getting that familiar jolt in the morning, the kick that you need to jumpstart the day.

Every day, millions of people all around the world consume caffeine to stay awake and ease fatigue. But there’s definitely more to it than just a fix.

While it usually gets bad rap for its adverse effects like jitters, anxiety, palpitations (usually from having too much of it too soon), moderate consumption can give you the best bang for the cup.

Here are 7 surprising ways caffeine brings benefits to our day-to-day.

Anhydrous caffeine is derived from coffee beans, guarana berries and tea leaves and other natural plant sources. It is prepared in a lab and is reduced to white crystals. Anhydrous caffeine dissolves in water and mixes easily with other substances. But this powder is powerful in minute doses. It is best to allow experts who make approved products, guided by people who know the chemistry and how much to administer in, say, a caffeine pill or mint.

There are many articles and blogs on the World Wide Web touting caffeine as a supplement for enhancing athletic performance and increasing gain from weightlifting and other types of workouts

The World Anti-Doping Agency attempts to police athletes and make sure they aren’t taking substances, hormones and chemicals that purport to give them an unfair advantage over others who don’t take them.

We say purportbecause while it is widely and falsely believed that steroids, for example, increase athletes’ performance, these hormones and chemicals quickly and catastrophically destroy a person’s health.

Athletes train harder, longer and get more results on caffeine. If someone told you about a common, legal substance that could help you burn fat, increase your athletic performance and decrease muscle pain, you might call him a liar. But caffeine reportedly does all that for athletes and more.

The International Olympic Committee once limited how much caffeine Olympic athletes could take. The committee categorized caffeine as a performance-enhancing substance but has since removed it from the list of regulated or banned substances.

The ultimate in endurance sport is an Ironman triathlon. These athletes swim 2.4 miles, bicycle for 112 miles and then run a marathon of 26.2 miles (140.6 miles total) in one day, so they really need to be prepared. The best do it in about nine hours. We wondered: What do triathletes eat and drink before a race?

It turns out a lot. The typical Ironman athlete burns 7,000 to 10,000 calories on a race day, so they need to really consume a lot of food. They also metabolize a lot of water, so they need to take in copious amounts of fluids on race day.