“Caffeine has been shown to increase speed and power output, improve the length an athlete can train, and assist the athlete in resisting fatigue,” the article said. In short, it makes you think quicker, last longer, sprint faster and recover more quickly. And, it’s legal.
So, how does it actually work?
So-called “metabolic theory” suggests that caffeine provides improved endurance by increasing the use of fat as a fuel, while at the same time lowers the use of carbohydrates. The energy from the fat cells burns slower, therefore providing the athlete with much bigger and longer lasting ‘fuel-tank’ than relying on carbohydrates alone. Second, caffeine may increase the calcium content of skeletal muscle and improve the strength of muscle contraction, which plays a role at anaerobic activities like sprints — being able to get more power from their muscle contractions made the caffeine-induced sprinters faster.
If that isn’t enough, caffeine also has direct effects on the central nervous system as a stimulant which can trick the brain to lessen the feeling of fatigue and increase alertness. Together with the metabolic effects it has on burning fat as fuel, it’s a powerful driver for endurance athletes.
Finally, caffeine also plays a significant role in recovery. As runners, we know we need carbs to restore the glycogen reserves after a workout. Glycogen is the body’s preferred fuel for muscles when exercising. A study on athletes who had caffeine with their meal after exercise shows that they had 66% more glycogen in their muscles 4 hours later.
Caffeine may cause dehydration, although you can consume up to 550 mg without seriously affecting hydration — that’s an equivalent of five cups of coffee.
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