There’s a lot of controversy surrounding the use of caffeine in both athletes and everyday individuals. Today, I’d like to take a closer look at caffeine, the good, the bad, and the confusing.
WHAT IS CAFFEINE?
Well, one thing it's not is a nutrient. Caffeine is a stimulant of the central nervous system (CNS). It’s been used for hundreds of years as both tea and coffee, and used in several other beverages, such as sports and energy drinks. Natural sources of caffeine are derived from tea, coffee, guarana, and kola nut.
THE POSITIVE CLAIMS OF CAFFEINE
Caffeine has claimed to help memory, reduce bodyfat, restore muscle glycogen faster after exercise (when combined with carbohydrates), lessen the perceived effort of exertion, aid in detoxification, reduce post-workout soreness, and help with depression. Athletes claim it increases their capacity to work, which in turn, allows them to recruit more muscle fibers, and work with more intensity, longer, as well as keep them focused, awake, and increase their stamina. Caffeine is also considered to be a diuretic, and many claim it speeds up their metabolism.
THE NEGATIVE CLAIMS OF CAFFEINE
Caffeine is known to make your heart beat abnormally fast which can be fatal for people who have high blood pressure or a history of heart disease. Many complain it causes headaches, and shakiness, causing tension, and/or stomach upset. Others claim caffeine causes a ‘high’ followed by a dive-bombing ‘low’, causing mood swings and irritability. Insomnia is a common complaint, as is the ability to relax.
HOW MUCH IS CONSIDERED SAFE?
Depending on the individual, anywhere from 100 to 300 milligrams is considered an average ‘dose’.
CAN A PERSON TAKE TOO MUCH CAFFEINE?
Yes, and many do. As many people have drunk coffee for so many years, they feel they must drink more to get the same effect they once had with just one cup of coffee. Too much caffeine can have a negative effect on you.
SYMPTOMS OF TOO MUCH CAFFEINE
Symptoms of too much caffeine include insomnia, restlessness, and ringing in ears. Some weight loss products containing natural sources of caffeine have been banned due to people having seizures.
CAN A PERSON BECOME ADDICTED TO CAFFEINE?
Yes. Not so much the caffeine itself, rather the effects/feelings it produces when ingested. When a person wants to stop using caffeine after many months or years, they could go through withdrawal symptoms.
Headaches, insomnia, irritability, digestive upset, depression, and some have claimed their body in general aches, and they feel like they have the flu.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ATHLETES?
Caffeine taken prior to working out could help increase intensity and workload, reduce perceived effort, and help with mental focus. As a result of the above, the athlete could get a better pump, more vascularity, burn fat, and perhaps go longer than without the caffeine boost. It does come with a price, though.
WHAT DO THE STUDIES SAY?
Studies on caffeine have proven controversial. There have been no concrete claims across the board one way or another, regardless of positive or negative claims. What one study finds, another study dismisses, and so forth.
BOTTOM LINE
As with all supplements, you must choose for yourself. You must weigh the benefits from the risks. Caffeine seems to have various effects on each individual, so no one can determine whether it’s right for you, but you.
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