How Does Caffeine Improve Exercise Performance?

The vate remains high for 3-4 hours and then begins to fall. Unlike other compounds and supplements, caffeine can affect all cells in the body, including muscle cells and the brain. Therefore, the effects of caffeine on the body are highly variable.

The systems that caffeine affects in the body are:

1) Nervous system: To increase focus and energy while reducing fatigue, caffeine activates the brain regions and nervous system.

2) Hormones: Adrenaline, which stimulates the production of caffeine and can increase performance, is responsible for the fleeing or fighting response.

3) Fat burning: Caffeine increases the fat burning function of the body through lipolysis or the breakdown of fat in fat cells.

4) Endorphins: Beta endorphins can increase the feeling of well-being. Its amount increases after consumption of caffeine and exercise.

5) Muscles: It can act on the motor cortex, a region of the brain that sends signals to activate muscles.

6) Body temperature: Increases the body’s heat production by burning more calories.

7) Glycogen: It frees up the glycogen storage of the muscles due to increased fat burning. Thus, its endurance performance increases.

Caffeine is eventually burned by the liver.

Caffeine and Endurance Performance

Many athletes use caffeine as a supplement. Because of its positive effects on exercise performance, some organizations such as the NCAA have begun to ban its high doses. In one study, 4.45 mg of caffeine per kilogram was observed to increase the endurance of athletes. Those who took caffeine were able to run 2-3.2 km more compared to the placebo group.

A study with cyclists found that caffeine has superiority over carbs and water. Caffeine increased the endurance rate to 7.4% compared to the 5.2% carbohydrate group. Caffeine increased performance by 9% compared to water alone and 4.6% compared to carbohydrate.

In other studies, coffee has been tested because it contains high amounts of caffeine. Regular coffee drinkers in the 1500-meter run were 4.2 seconds faster than those who drank decaffeinated coffee. Another study claims that coffee reduces the perception of effort and makes it easier for athletes to work harder.

Caffeine and Intense Exercise

The evidence for caffeine’s relationship with intense exercise is mixed. Caffeine has a great effect on experienced athletes, but appears to have less effect on people who are new to sports or those who are not trained.

In the study of two active men, no difference was found between the effects of caffeine and water during cycling. But caffeine has had a significant impact on professional athletes cycling.

Another study looked at the effect of caffeine on workout and non-training swimmers. There was a positive improvement in the training group, but no benefit for the no-training group.

Caffeine and Strength-Based Exercises

Studies on the use of caffeine in power-based activities are still ongoing. Although a positive effect has been found in several studies, the evidence is not conclusive. One study found a positive effect of caffeine on weightlifting, but not for muscles in the lower body.

A comparison of 27 studies found that caffeine increased leg muscle strength by up to 7%, but had no effect on smaller muscle groups. In addition, caffeine can increase muscular endurance. As a result, caffeine can be beneficial for strength-based activities that use large muscle groups.

Caffeine and Fat Burning

Caffeine is a commonly used ingredient in supplements used for weight loss. Previous research showed that caffeine intake for exercise increased stored fat release by 30%. Another study found that caffeine supplements increased stored fat release before and at the end of exercise. In addition, caffeine can increase the amount of fat burned during exercise. Caffeine increases heat production and adrenaline, leading to more calorie and fat burning. However, there is no conclusive evidence that caffeine increases weight loss in people who exercise for long periods of time.

Large amounts of caffeine intake; rapid heartbeat, anxiety disorder, dizziness, sleep disturbance, irritability, tremors, and stomach discomfort can cause side effects. In addition, the timing of caffeine intake is important. Caffeine should not be consumed after 4 or 5 in the afternoon to avoid sleep disturbance. The dose of caffeine that can be taken depends on body weight, but 200-400 milligrams can be taken 30-60 minutes before exercise. Apart from this, regular coffee consumption is also a suitable option.