A new position stand was published this month in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition regarding caffeine supplementation and sports performance.
This has been a topic of study and discussion for years, and the research is still evolving.
Caffeine has consistently shown performance enhancing effects with a dosage of 3-6mg/kg body weight 30-60 minutes prior to exercise.
Aerobic endurance appears to be the form of exercise with the most consistent moderate-to-large benefits from caffeine use
Small to moderate benefits of caffeine use include, but are not limited to: muscular endurance, movement velocity and muscular strength, sprinting, jumping, and throwing performance, as well as a wide range of aerobic and anaerobic sport-specific actions
Caffeine appears to improve physical performance in both trained and untrained individuals
Caffeine may improve cognitive and physical performance in some individuals under conditions of sleep deprivation
Alternative sources of caffeine such as caffeinated chewing gum, mouth rinses, energy gels and chews have been shown to improve performance, primarily in aerobic exercise
Energy drinks and pre-workout supplements containing caffeine have been demonstrated to enhance both anaerobic and aerobic performance
Another point to mention is the benefits of pairing caffeine and carbohydrates before a training session and the even greater ergogenic effect.
Reference:
Guest, N.S., VanDusseldorp, T.A., Nelson, M.T. et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr18, 1 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4
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