Sport is movement, and movement is life. Everyone is familiar with this statement, and many not from hearsay, but from personal experience. Those who devote themselves to regular sports sometimes experience insufficient motivation for training. At such moments, a person looks for external sources of stimulation to exercise and often resorts to coffee.
The benefits that coffee gives us
Everyone knows that coffee is an awakening drink. It gives you vigor, energizes you, makes you be more active, what else do you need before the upcoming workout!? But here you need to be aware of the effect of coffee on the human body during sports: is it beneficial or not. Let's start with the benefits of drinking coffee before workouts.
Coffee is rich in magnesium
Magnesium is a valuable mineral, especially useful for people actively involved in sports, because. it is a catalyst for many reactions occurring in the human body. With a lack of magnesium, all enzymatic processes in the body fall asleep, and accordingly you will not be able to remain in a state of anabolism and build new muscle tissue.
Coffee improves performance, increases strength and endurance
In one study from the University of Athletic Training in the United States, scientists were able to prove that an athlete can increase his strength and power performance if he receives the right dose of caffeine before training. The study says that for a strength lifter weighing 90 kg, this dose is on average 6-8 cups of coffee, but everything is individual and determined by the body's sensitivity to insulin. Scientists have also suggested that caffeine acts directly on the muscles (to obtain greater strength and power), and not only in the central nervous system.
Caffeine speeds recovery and reduces muscle pain
A study conducted at Carolina University with three control groups found that caffeine can increase resynthesis.
Scientists suggest that caffeine may improve muscle glycogen resynthesis after exercise and promote the burning of fatty acids for fuel during exercise.
Three race walking groups were given a drink before the race:
- The first group - coffee. /li>
- The second group is carbohydrates.
- The third group received placebo (nothing).
The results for non-stop walking were as follows:
- First group - 48 minutes (caffeine).
- Second group - 32 minutes (carbohydrates).
- The third group - 19 (placebo).
Increases burning of subcutaneous fat
Coffee increases your metabolic rate so you burn more calories, and this can help your body burn fat rather than glucose for energy. Coffee also regulates blood sugar levels and helps improve insulin sensitivity.
A study by the US Institute of Nutrition found that caffeine is effective in aiding weight loss. In particular, a 22-week study on 16 overweight men showed that participants taking high concentrations of caffeine lost significant weight (27.5% of body weight) and thereby moved to a normal weight.
Reaction speed increases and motivation increases
Studies were conducted on football players who, due to the inability to get enough sleep, lost concentration during training. Taking 4 mg of caffeine per 1 kg of body weight, football players improved their reaction speed, increased motivation and concentration in training, and their endurance was also noticeably improved.
Cons of coffee
We talked about the benefits, but like a coin, caffeine also has a downside.
High concentrations of caffeine in the body cause nervous exhaustion
Since coffee has a direct stimulating effect on the central nervous system and causes your nerve cells to be more active, increased doses of caffeine simply make them tired.
Coffee is addictive
There really is such a term as “coffee addiction”; it is talked about like nicotine addiction, but of course it does much less harm. If you regularly load up on coffee before a workout, you may experience a significant drop in motivation and endurance during the workout during the period of caffeine withdrawal. Quitting coffee will lead to headaches and increased irritability; of course, this has a temporary effect (1-2 weeks).
Water imbalance
Coffee can cause fluid imbalance, which is especially important during and after exercise. Coffee slows down the absorption of fluid from the intestines, which leads to dehydration and possible gastrointestinal disorders.
Selection of sports coffee drinks
So, we have clarified the pros and cons of drinking coffee before training, so now starting a new sports day, listen to your body and weigh the pros and cons of saturating yourself with caffeine. We recommend that you drink coffee in the morning or two hours before training, and also be sure to drink a glass (or better yet, two) of drinking water after a cup of aromatic and invigorating coffee. Below is a small selection of interesting caffeine-containing drinks designed specifically for athletes.
Strong Coffee Company Original – Daybreaker
Developed by athletes, Strong Coffee is a sugar-free instant latte that contains collagen protein, which improves joint health and accelerates recovery from injury. Plus it contains powdered MCT oil and fatty acids to help improve endurance.
Composition of the product:
- Instant organic coffee
- Collagen
- MCT oil
- L-theanine
- Hylauronic acid
Weight: 335 grams (12.8 ounces)
Price: 45$
Where can I buy: on the Strong Coffee website
Delivery: There is no direct delivery to the Russian Federation
Laird Superfood InstaFuel coffee
This blend is modeled after the morning drink of Laird Hamilton, America's first professional surfer and professional volleyball player. It combines freeze-dried Arabica coffee with a dose of coconut oil, coconut milk and Aquamin, an algae-based mineral supplement that some studies show can improve bone density and reduce inflammation.
Composition of the product:
- Instant Arabica coffee
- Powdered coconut milk
- Aquamin
- MCT oil
Weight: 227 grams (8 ounces)
Price: 781 RUR
Where can I buy: iHerb
Delivery: iHerb delivery to the Russian Federation is available.
Caffeine– a central nervous system stimulant, has many physiological effects, found in various plants (coffee, mate, guarana, etc.). Caffeine in bodybuilding is often used in the production of energy drinks, fat burners and pre-workout supplements. For sports supplements, coffee beans are either produced synthetically or extracted from plants.
Caffeine in particular is a substance that causes a lot of controversy among athletes. There are positive and negative sides to its influence. In bodybuilding, caffeine is most often used during cutting, as it speeds up metabolic processes and triggers fat burning. During training, it is able to increase strength, this has been shown in studies conducted on professional swimmers. During the experiment, athletes were able to improve their performance after taking 250 mg of caffeine, so we can conclude that taking the substance improves the athlete's performance.
Effect of taking
- Increased energy and vigor, improved concentration;
- Increased endurance;
- Increased strength;
- Acceleration of metabolism;
- Acceleration of recovery processes after training.
Taking caffeine for bodybuilding will help you combat drowsiness and sharpen your alertness. Research shows that 100 mg of caffeine is enough to perk you up, but if the dosage is too high, the effect will be the opposite - it will make you sleepy. Caffeine improves gas exchange processes in the muscles, due to this you become more resilient, since your muscles will be better supplied with oxygen and thus you will delay the onset of fatigue.
Many powerlifters take caffeine or caffeine supplements before competition because it can enhance an athlete's strength. Research shows that taking a 200 mg serving can increase bench press results by an average of 1-2 kg. It is also known that caffeine has a positive effect on metabolic rate; it is recommended to take it half an hour before exercise if your goal is to lose excess weight.
How to take caffeine for bodybuilding
Use caffeine for bodybuilding with caution. This substance can aggravate certain diseases (heart disease, high blood pressure, anemia and others). Taking 3-6 mg of caffeine per 1 kg of weight half an hour before training can increase strength and endurance during exercise, but the effect may differ for different athletes. Very often, caffeine is added to sports supplements, since it is a stimulant of the central nervous system and increases the intensity of training, and high-intensity training accelerates fat burning processes and during such exercises the load on the muscles increases, which makes them grow faster than during regular training.
When taking sports complexes with caffeine, you should adhere to the recommended dosages, this way you will maintain your health. It is recommended to take caffeine or drugs containing it half an hour before classes. If you use it in its pure form, the dosage will depend on the physiological characteristics of the athlete and addiction, so everything is individual. Caffeine in bodybuilding can be used in relatively large dosages - 200-400 mg, but such doses should be approached gradually, starting with the smallest portions. This central nervous system stimulant affects everyone differently; in some athletes, even a 100 mg serving can cause an overdose, so you should immediately stop taking the substance if you notice at least one of the side effects.
Side effects
You can study all the side effects in the picture on the right. Caffeine is not recommended for elderly people, children and pregnant women. You should start taking it gradually, use small dosages and increase them evenly, but stop using if side effects occur. It is known that caffeine cannot be used constantly, since the daily intake of this substance in the body depletes the central nervous system and reduces mental and physical performance. Doctors strongly recommend consuming caffeine no more than 2 times a week, although, as we see, caffeine is used quite often in bodybuilding; some athletes drink caffeine-containing drinks before each workout.
Taking caffeine will not be beneficial if you drink it after a meal. Studies show that it accelerates the movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract, because of this it does not have time to be digested and rots in the intestines, so you should only take coffee on an empty stomach, half an hour before training or 1-2 hours before meals.
If you need to increase the intensity of your workouts, or get rid of everyday fatigue, try caffeine - a natural energy source of natural origin that increases the body's energy potential and has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, thereby improving concentration and attention.
Caffeine - a calorie burn accelerator
Caffeine, in addition to its ability to quickly raise the body's energy level, is an excellent aid in burning fat. It helps speed up metabolism, which ultimately leads to a faster rate of calorie burning, and also increases energy reserves, normalizes appetite and accelerates the rate of fat burning. All three factors indicate the excellent effect of caffeine as a natural fat burner.
Effect of caffeine:
- increases concentration;
- speeds up metabolism;
- gives energy;
- increases motivation to train.
Pre-workout energy drinks
To have an intense, fruitful training session, you must approach it in full combat readiness. Motivation and energy are the criteria for effective training. Caffeine will help you with this - an alkaloid that, in addition to increasing your energy potential, will help you concentrate and improve your mental concentration.
That is why caffeine is included in sports nutrition in pre-workout complexes and energy drinks.
Uses of caffeine
Very often, caffeine is included in pre-workout complexes and fat burners. To get maximum benefit from taking it, you should consume it 30 minutes before the start of your workouts. The daily norm is 200–400 mg.
Since it is a central nervous system stimulant, do not exceed the prescribed dosage and read labels on products containing caffeine carefully.
It is also necessary to take into account the total caffeine consumption in the case of using several products, including coffee drinks, tea, etc.
The magical effect of coffee on the body helps fight fatigue, lethargy, and absent-mindedness. It is not worth getting carried away with it, because in case of an overdose, the positive effect of the substance will be replaced by a negative one, which will affect the person’s well-being. Some people prefer to take caffeine tablets instead of a drink.
What is Caffeine Sodium Benzoate
These tablets are an aphrodisiac and psychostimulant derived from methylxanthine. The action of caffeine benzoate is to inhibit PDEs (phosphodiesterase enzymes) in the heart, organs, nervous system and adipose tissue. When consumed in large doses, the substance can accumulate in the body in the form of cGMP, cAMP (adrenaline derivatives). The drug is synthetic, based on caffeine extracted from coffee seeds and tea leaves.
Caffeine is produced in tablets of 100 mg, in a package of 6-10 pieces. A small dosage of the drug has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, but in case of an overdose, on the contrary, it depresses it. After taking caffeine, a person’s breathing becomes faster and deeper, blood vessels dilate, and the tone of the cerebral arteries increases. This drug has the following effects on the human body:
- increases concentration;
- activates fat burning, therefore suitable for weight loss;
- improves mood;
- increases mental excitability;
- stimulates the release of adrenaline into the blood;
- increases muscle activity in athletes, maintains the potential of muscle membranes, and participates in calcium metabolism.
Caffeine sodium benzoate: instructions for use
You can take caffeine tablets regardless of your meal during the day. It is not recommended to use them immediately before bed because this will make it difficult to fall asleep. The manufacturer recommends using the following dosage options:
- For cheerfulness and increased performance, adults and adolescents will need 2-3 doses of 50-100 mg. Children do not need the drug in these cases.
- To eliminate headaches, people over 12 need to drink 50-100 mg of the drug 2 times a day for 3 days.
- To increase blood pressure, children over 12 years of age and adults are recommended to drink 100 mg of caffeine tablets three times a day.
For any reason for taking the drug, you should not exceed a single dose of caffeine of 300 mg and a daily dose of 1000 mg. In cases of overdose, a person may experience the following symptoms:
- nausea;
- dizziness;
- anxiety, tremor;
- cardiopalmus;
- confusion.
How to take pills to raise blood pressure
Caffeine tablets are prescribed for minor and irregular deviations in blood pressure (blood pressure) to normalize the indicator. The drug is a strong psychostimulant, so it should be taken strictly in the prescribed doses. The active substance is able to influence vascular and cardiac receptors, which allows you to quickly raise blood pressure to normal. To get this effect, you need to take 50-100 mg of caffeine tablets 3 times a day for several weeks.
Who should not take caffeine tablets?
You need to use the product carefully so as not to harm your body and get a negative effect instead of a positive one. Caffeine is contraindicated for people who:
- serious diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- paroxysmal tachycardia;
- allergy or intolerance to caffeine;
- sleep disorders;
- anxiety disorders;
- age up to 12 years;
- increased blood pressure.
Older people who are prone to seizures, spasms or convulsions, epilepsy and eye diseases should be careful with this drug. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, tablets can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor. If you combine oral contraceptives with caffeine, it will have less activity, accumulate in the blood, and be slowly eliminated by the liver.
Is caffeine effective for weight loss?
According to people's reviews, the dosage used to stimulate the nervous system is not enough to start the fat burning process. Caffeine in diet pills is required in large quantities. Overweight athletes consume 10-20 mg of the substance per kilogram of body weight before training. It is believed that this is the only way to speed up metabolic processes and heart function to the desired level. You should take the tablet 30 minutes before class. Doctors recommend starting to drink caffeine sodium benzoate for weight loss at 2 mg/kg and gradually increasing the dosage.
Should you take energy pills?
Many athletes are looking for additional sources of energy to carry out their activities. There is a special sports nutrition for this, which costs a lot of money, but you can find a simpler option - caffeine benzoate tablets. After taking it, a person’s temperature, metabolic rate, and sweating become more active and increase. This helps to increase endurance and strength.
The action of such a stimulant is aimed at the nervous system, it mobilizes free fatty acids. All neurons after taking caffeine will send signals from the brain to the muscles. Some people consider the drug a drug, but this is not true; coffee is not addictive. For a bodybuilder, the optimal dosage is considered to be 9 mg per 1 kg of body weight, but some athletes drink 15-20 mg/kg.
Are pills good for concentration?
People engaged in active mental activity sometimes notice that a tired brain is not able to correctly solve the tasks assigned to it. There is a need for additional stimulation of neurons, relieving fatigue, and sometimes headaches. Coffee is often used for this, but the drink may be of poor quality. In addition, it has been proven that soluble varieties in large quantities have a negative effect on the intestines and stomach.
The solution will be caffeine pills, which will not increase IQ and will not make a person smarter, but will help you concentrate and activate mental activity. This method gives a short-term effect. You should not get carried away with taking caffeine tablets; in case of an overdose, in addition to side effects, a person may become irritable.
Where to buy and how much do caffeine tablets cost?
Today, pharmacies sell caffeine. You can buy it without a prescription, the cost ranges from 30 to 60 rubles. You can order the drug online with home delivery for an additional fee. Online sports nutrition stores also sell tablets, offering them as an additional stimulant for intense training. Such drugs are produced by well-known brands, produced in packs of 90 tablets, and they cost from 400 rubles. There is no particular difference in action, the only difference is in quantity.
Video
Caffeine is a multifunctional substance that affects many body systems. But his strong point is maintaining brain function. Due to the molecule responsible for signaling the need for rest, with caffeine we can work longer without feeling tired. Including in the gym.
Caffeine can seriously help during endurance training (triathlons, marathons, cycling races). Experiments have shown that athletes on caffeine perform an average of 3% faster times (up to 17% in some cases).
What does 3% mean for an athlete?
That's about 2 minutes per hour, or:
- about a minute in a 5K race;
- about 7 minutes of a 4 hour marathon.
And this is just thanks to the right breakfast!
viperagp/Depositphotos.comMost athletes consume caffeine in one way or another with various additives. The Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism estimates that about 73% of athletes use caffeine, most often triathletes.
However, caffeine cannot be said to be beneficial during other types of training, such as strength training. But it can help football players who have to jog periodically.
In addition, the effects of caffeine on the body are very diverse. And scientists are constantly arguing on many aspects. But we can definitely say that:
- caffeine promotes the burning of fat, not glycogen in muscles.
- caffeine affects muscle contraction by increasing the release of calcium (although this will not make you stronger overall);
- There is no point in worrying about dehydration because of the caffeine contained in a cup of coffee.
How to get more from coffee
Many of you probably drink coffee on. And it can help after at the gym. But to get more, you need to take all the variables into account:
- Which caffeine source should you choose?
- What quantity will be optimal for the best result?
- When is the best time to take it?
To get the most from caffeine, you need to consider where, how much and when to get it.
1. Source of caffeine
Research is inconclusive as to whether coffee is the best source of caffeine. Therefore, the best option for you would be to conduct your own research: what do you achieve the best results with - natural caffeine from coffee or synthetic caffeine from tablets.
2. Amount of caffeine
To noticeably improve your performance in the gym, you need 3 to 6 mg of caffeine for every kilogram of your weight.
The table shows data on caffeine content in:
»
The numbers are approximate, as the type of coffee and the method of preparation are of great importance.
Various sports supplements may also contain caffeine. The easiest way to find out about the quantity is to read the composition information on the package.
3. Timing of caffeine intake
It is worth considering that if you drink caffeine every day, tolerance develops very quickly. But it affects your body in different ways. For example, increased blood pressure and increased heart rate are less likely to occur in those who drink coffee regularly.
But, fortunately, you will run faster, even if you drink coffee every morning for many months.
But you will achieve the best results if you give up caffeine for a week before the competition.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends taking some caffeine an hour before competition. Caffeine taken on an empty stomach will enter the bloodstream within 15 minutes, and on a full stomach only after 45 minutes. Alcohol will also increase the time it takes for caffeine to be absorbed into the blood.
The half-life of caffeine is 4–5 hours. But the higher the dose, the longer you will feel its effects. The liver is responsible for metabolism, and caffeine is broken down faster when you exercise or smoke. Alcohol, on the contrary, will make caffeine work longer. Of course, the toxic effect will also be higher. In general, the rate of caffeine metabolism is an individual thing, since the activity of the enzyme responsible for its breakdown varies from person to person.
On the day of the competition
“Nothing new, only proven and working accurately” - this rule should not be broken before any competition.
Preparing for a marathon takes several months. You are skyfotostock1/Depositphotos.com
If you don't drink four cups of coffee every day, you shouldn't drink that much the morning before a race. This will only ruin your entire long-term preparation.
Start researching your response to caffeine early. For the competition, you should choose the source and the optimal amount, and see if you can take a break and go a whole week without coffee.
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