Optimize your caffeine consumption
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Many of us enjoy a coffee or tea from time to time (or maybe on a daily basis). But what are the drawbacks to coffee (besides the obvious insomnia?). What’s a safe amount to drink and when should you have it? We’re dedicating this week to clearing up these answers.
There are actually some benefits to caffeine. First of all, it’s an ergogenic aid, meaning that it improves exercise by delaying the time to fatigue. It also increases blood flow to the brain, helping you to concentrate, be more alert, and improve your memory. It also acts as an antioxidant due to the phytonutrients found in teas and coffee beans, which heals damaged tissue.
However, too much caffeine can lead to insomnia and anxiety. Also if you make it a routine to have two large mugs of coffee every day, you eventually start to rely on it, and you no longer get all of the mental and physical benefits from it. So where is the line between improved performance and negative health consequences?
The general rule is that 200 mg of caffeine per day is safe for most people (that's about two 10-ounce coffees or two cups of black tea). However, instead of having the same amount every day, instead you can use your caffeine consumption to your advantage. In other words, use caffeine as a tool not a crutch.
To get the amazing benefits from caffeine, you want to make sure you’re using it in an intentional way. Instead of having two big mugs every morning, save your consumption for those days when you have a big event, such as an athletic event, an exam, or before a long drive. Timing is also important. You want to have caffeine about 30-60 minutes before whatever task it is that you’re preparing for. That way you’re not getting a caffeine crash during your big task.
Here are some more keys to keep in mind
Tea is a slow-release source of caffeine, meaning it causes a lower spike in caffeine absorption but stays in your system longer. This can help avoid the caffeine crash that can result from coffee.
Caffeine can stay in your system for 5 hours (or more), so avoid having it at least 6 hours before you’d like to go to bed, or 8 hours if you’re not used to drinking it on a regular basis.
Watch out for sneaky sources of caffeine such as pop, chocolate, energy drinks, and even some medications.
Finally, if you just LOVE coffee and you can’t imagine life without it, one trick you can try is to start implementing decaf coffee into your routine. So when you make a pot of coffee at the beginning of the day, add one part regular coffee and one part decaf. This way you can still have your delicious cup or two but you’re ingesting much less caffeine you normally would on a given day!
In order to optimize health and performance, change your caffeine habits from routine to intention. That way when you do have it, you can take advantage of all of its amazing benefits.
What are we finding in the research?
A study recently published in the Sports Medicine - Open journal looked at the optimal time of ingesting a supplement that contained 200g of caffeine prior to exercise. The protocol involved 30 minutes of steady state cycling followed by a short rest and then a 15-minute time trial. The participants were given the caffeine-containing supplement either 35 minutes before the steady state exercise, right before the steady state exercise, or right before the time trial. There was also a control group who didn’t ingest the supplement at any point.
The group that ingested the supplement 35 minutes prior to the steady state exercise had a 5% improved time trial performance compared to the control group, as well as decreased perceived exertion (aka it felt easier) during the steady state cycling. The other caffeine groups had no differences in performance or perceived exertion compared to the control group.
The researchers suggest that athletes should ingest 200mg of caffeine around 60 minutes prior to exercise for optimal athletic performance. This is possibly due to the increased levels of paraxanthine, a caffeine metabolite, in the blood.
