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According to recent statistics, around 165 million 60 kg. (122 lb.) bags of coffee are consumed worldwide annually

That's a lot of coffee – and that doesn't take into consideration all the other forms of caffeine we're taking in: soda, chocolate, energy drinks, tea, and many other niche products.

We all know the cognitive benefits of caffeine, plus its ability to fight off fatigue and tiredness. But did you know that there are extensive athletic benefits as well? Across a wide-ranging mix of sports, and for all manner of athletes: caffeine works.

When people hear the word "caffeine," the first thing that comes to mind is its effects on stimulation, attentiveness, and tiredness. And it's true – caffeine and coffee have a wide range of health effects – many related to attention and fatigue. 

Caffeine is a natural psychoactive stimulant that stimulates your central nervous system and brain by helping keep you alert and remain active. It's naturally found in leaves, nuts, and some plants' seeds – somewhere around 60 plants have been identified which produce caffeine.

According to a study conducted by a Western Michigan scientist, at least 30 plants (out of ~ 300,000 flowering plants of different species) produce caffeine. Others put the number closer to 30. The reason plants have caffeine isn't known for 100% certain – but it may be as a pollinator attractor or perhaps a defense mechanism against insects.

The caffeine in some plants can poison plant pests and herbivores. This ends up discouraging them from attacking the plant again... if they survive the caffeine intake. Since caffeine is also toxic to the plant's cell, it's stored in individual cell compartments to keep it at distance from other cells.

Plenty of studies have found that drinking caffeine regularly can help improve your mental performance, especially your concentration, alertness, and attention. This is because caffeine suppresses the effects of adenosine, the neurotransmitter associated with sleepiness.

Scientists also discovered that there's a direct relation to the dose of caffeine you consume and your mental performance. There's just more caffeine around then to interfere with adenosine uptake.

For example, higher caffeine doses – up to a point – can aid in improving your cognitive speed, improve accuracy and alertness, and decrease fatigue. Going too high has its downsides, though, which we'll discuss a bit later.

Improving Heart Health

Another positive effect of drinking caffeine is improving heart health. Research studies show that consuming coffee in reasonable doses can aid in decreasing heart failure and strokes.

Caffeine and Exercise: What Does Science Say?

 Many times, caffeine is more interesting as a performance-enhancing supplement – beyond staying up late and being more productive, it can help you lift more, jump further, run faster, cut your times, and otherwise make you a better athlete.

Why Might Caffeine Help Exercise Performance?

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, caffeine is an effective way of enhancing different types of exercise performance when consumed in moderate amounts. A meta-analysis showed caffeine positively affects muscle strength, aerobic endurance, muscle endurance, exercise speed, and jumping performance.

The results showed that caffeine affects your exercise performance by reducing fatigue, blocking the aforementioned neurotransmitter adenosine, and increasing your alertness and precision.

More relevant for athletes, it also increases the stimulation of your central nervous system, making physical exertion feel like it involves less pain and effort. This helps you become more effective and productive with each workout. Consider lifting, for example – much of your strength comes from CNS adaptation, and caffeine enables you to get the most out of what you can already lift.

For high-intensity exercises like strength sports, swimming, and sprinting, caffeine increases the number of fibers recruited in muscle contractions. This enables you to make forceful – and frequent – movements. Other studies have found that athletes or active adults who consume caffeine before working out have improved concentration.

Studies show that caffeine consumption in coffee or as a supplement taken one hour before exercise can boost endurance. More studies found that the use of coffee could help improve performance in running and cycling.

A 2017 study that involved male runners suggested that the consumption of caffeinated coffee an hour before a 1-mile event enhanced their performance. Their performance increased by 1.9 percent and 1.3 percent compared to runners who took a placebo or decaffeinated coffee.

All these studies prove that consuming coffee before aerobic exercise helps enhance overall performance. And if you're looking to incorporate caffeine into your endurance training, most of these studies looked at a dose of roughly 200 milligrams.

(09/20/2020) Views: 1,115 ⚡AMP
by Gerard Paul