Caffeine use in elite sport is a well researched area and so
I can evaluate many studies and detail some evidence based tips for you on its
use to maximise performance.
Firstly, the increase in nerve activity brought
about by consuming caffeine stimulates the release of the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline)
which in turn, leads to such effects as increased blood flow to muscles and the
release of glucose by the liver.
Caffeine also increases brain levels of the
neurotransmitter dopamine, which is involved in cognitive (thinking) processes,
alertness and memory. For this reason alone there are numerous studies
which show that caffeine significantly improves mental focus.
Also in a recent
study from the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, researchers showed
that coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the average
American's diet.
If stimulatory effects are your goal then freshly brewed black
coffee is the way to go and not a large latte which is full of milk!
An
average cup of black freshly brewed coffee contains about 130 milligrams of
caffeine (compare that to the 80 milligrams in a regular Red Bull), plenty to
give you the mental focus you are after.
But remember, everything in moderation
because athletes who rely on caffeine to get "up" for games or
training are often creating a mental "barrier" that is hard to
escape.
And as your body develops a tolerance to caffeine it will take more and
more caffeine to get the same feeling of "focus" you've come to
expect.
Also avoid putting a lot of sugar or sweeteners in your coffee or you
will ruin the effect you are looking for by increasing sugar content just like
regular Red Bull. So if you want to use coffee as a pre
training/match stimulant then you must not over use it during the week! A
maximum of one cup per day would be advised and then 1-2 cup freshly brewed
coffee 1-1.5 hrs before competition (game time).
Will it dehydrate me?
A study on the effects of high dose pre-exercise caffeine
ingestion found no significant impact on hydration (Can J Physiol
Pharmacol, 68(7): 889-92, 1990). Other studies have showed a mild diuretic
effect in extremely high doses (8 cups filter coffee per day!).
However, this diuretic effect is also governed by the concentration of caffeine
in any given drink. For example, an espresso coffee provides around 100mg of
caffeine in just 50ml of water, but you’d have to drink around 1 litre of
tea to obtain the same amount of caffeine, significantly hydratingyour
body in the process! A medium Americano contains around 100mg caffeine (1
espresso shot) but 350 ml water.
My advice is clear on caffeine, if you want to gain a
stimulatory benefit from it then abstain from using it a lot until
competition/training time.
The message from years gone by of cutting out tea
and coffee is wrong because there is no evidence of a diuretic effect
when used this way and you will also then lose the hydrating effect of
drinking the water you made it with!
