Hands up who loves caffeine? Who loves nothing more than smashing the caffeine in a morning in some form or the buzz/high a pre-workout gives you before you train? Sound familiar? Where do you get your fix?
Coffee? Tea? Energy Drinks? Pre Workout? Caffeine/Energy Tablets? Dark Chocolate?
It's a natural stimulant, derived and extracted from plants. When consumed it blocks the hormone adenosine that signals to our brains when we're tired and instead causes production of adrenaline. When taken in suitable doses, it can improve focus, neural stimulation, arousal & concentration. This dosage varies depending on individuals and things like tolerance, weight, gender and body composition can affect our ability to handle caffeine.
Caffeine can also be used as an ergogenic aid- in that it will impact anaerobic and aerobic exercise performance. Studies suggest consuming 200mg of caffeine, 30 minutes prior to training is enough to positively affect performance, but again tolerance levels will affect how much that mg of caffeine will affect an individual. In addition, consuming caffeine in the presence of carbohydrates also help absorption rates. There are plenty of options available; tea, coffee, caffeine tablets, dark chocolate, pre-workout and supplement blends. Again, it is very much down to personal preference.
However, as with anything too much can have negative impact, such as-
-Dehydration.
-Disrupted sleep patterns.
-Irritated digestive patterns and tract.
-Anxiety.
-Migraines & headaches.
-Nausea and stomach upset.
-Caffeine dependence.
-The 'crash' after too much [which ultimately will leave you feeling like you've been hit by a bus].
In short, don't hide behind caffeine. If you find you're struggling to stay awake and racing through multiple coffees to get through the day, look at things like your sleep, how much water you drink and diet to see where the issue could lie. If this sounds like you, looking at limiting your caffeine intake or subbing for alternative options may be something you want to look into. Another option, may be timing and cycling caffeine around your training.
Enjoy your coffees, but don't use it as a crutch that you can't go without!
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