Caffeine and Racing - can it help?
I'm reading race plans that are strategically including the use of caffeine. I thought it would be good to put some facts out there so you can decide what is the most effective way to use caffeine during a race.
The first thing you need to ask yourself is how sensitive to caffeine are you? Does one strong 12 oz mug of coffee give you the jolts over 6 hours? Are you one of those that can have a cup of coffee after dinner and fall asleep? A recent study from the University of Toronto shows that depending on your genes you may metabolize caffeine either "fast" or "slow".
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29509641
The second consideration is the source of caffeine. Many of the blocks and sports drinks on the market are either from Green Tea Extract or pure caffeine usually in the form of anhydrous caffeine.
Green Tea Extract is a natural antioxidant in the form of polyphenols, EGCG. It is thought to enhance fatty acid metabolism during exercise. The effect would be to spare glycogen. However, the actual amount of EGCG needed for this mechanism is debated. This is not to say EGCG is a bad thing, it just might not wake you up.
Natural Sources and Anhydrous Caffeine is what you'll find in Red Bull, Cola and some gels and chews. This form of caffeine stimulates central nervous system, wakes you up, blocks adenosine so you don't feel pain.
If you want the affects of caffeine go for it, don't mess around with small amounts that aren't going to give you the brain boost. A sleeve of Cliff Blocks contain 50 - 100 mg caffeine in the form of Green Tea, EGCG. When you're tired at mile 15 in the IM Marathon this form of caffeine may not be as effective to wake you up.
The numbers:
Red Bull - 8 ounces = 80 mg caffeine. Sugars are fast acting sucrose and glucose.
Cola - 8 ounces = 30 mg. Sugars are fast acting sucrose and slow acting fructose.
NoDoz Energy Shot - 115 mg caffeine. Ultra runners love NoDoz
EFS Pre-Race Caps by First Endurance - 100 mg along with other ingredients that are synergistic with caffeine. Great product.
Take away's.
How sensitive are you to caffeine?
What's the source of caffeine? If it's EGCG from Green Tea does it state how much?
Time your caffeine to get the brain boost.
How much can you drink at each aid station?
Caffeine does not dehydrate.
You do not need to taper caffeine usage the week before the race to be effective on race day.
The first thing you need to ask yourself is how sensitive to caffeine are you? Does one strong 12 oz mug of coffee give you the jolts over 6 hours? Are you one of those that can have a cup of coffee after dinner and fall asleep? A recent study from the University of Toronto shows that depending on your genes you may metabolize caffeine either "fast" or "slow".
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29509641
The second consideration is the source of caffeine. Many of the blocks and sports drinks on the market are either from Green Tea Extract or pure caffeine usually in the form of anhydrous caffeine.
Green Tea Extract is a natural antioxidant in the form of polyphenols, EGCG. It is thought to enhance fatty acid metabolism during exercise. The effect would be to spare glycogen. However, the actual amount of EGCG needed for this mechanism is debated. This is not to say EGCG is a bad thing, it just might not wake you up.
Natural Sources and Anhydrous Caffeine is what you'll find in Red Bull, Cola and some gels and chews. This form of caffeine stimulates central nervous system, wakes you up, blocks adenosine so you don't feel pain.
If you want the affects of caffeine go for it, don't mess around with small amounts that aren't going to give you the brain boost. A sleeve of Cliff Blocks contain 50 - 100 mg caffeine in the form of Green Tea, EGCG. When you're tired at mile 15 in the IM Marathon this form of caffeine may not be as effective to wake you up.
The numbers:
Red Bull - 8 ounces = 80 mg caffeine. Sugars are fast acting sucrose and glucose.
Cola - 8 ounces = 30 mg. Sugars are fast acting sucrose and slow acting fructose.
NoDoz Energy Shot - 115 mg caffeine. Ultra runners love NoDoz
EFS Pre-Race Caps by First Endurance - 100 mg along with other ingredients that are synergistic with caffeine. Great product.
Take away's.
How sensitive are you to caffeine?
What's the source of caffeine? If it's EGCG from Green Tea does it state how much?
Time your caffeine to get the brain boost.
How much can you drink at each aid station?
Caffeine does not dehydrate.
You do not need to taper caffeine usage the week before the race to be effective on race day.
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Comments
Like all coffee drinks, caffeine levels vary greatly - due to variations in coffee blend, exact amount of ground coffee used, and brewing technique.
The value of caffeine in brewed coffee featured above is an average, with values generally between 64 and 272 milligrams per cup.
Because brewed coffee requires that the water is in contact with the grinds for a long time, this leads to a higher caffeine concentration (and sometimes an over-extracted taste).
*bevnet.com
This is great information! Thank you!
and Hutchinson's article on Outsideonline https://www.outsideonline.com/2289531/caffeine-makes-some-people-faster-others-slower I went back and checked my 23-And-Me data through Promethease (actually my wife checked it for me...) and it basically confirmed what I had already figured out through several years of racing... I have the AC variant of the CYP1A2 gene... In non-nerd speak, that means I'm neither a fast metabolizer, nor a slow metabolizer of Caffeine, but somewhere in the middle... So that means Caffeine doesn't necessarily make me slower or faster. I don't drink coffee or take caffeine in regular life, but I don't avoid it either... Frankly, I'm not even sure what that Caffeine boost feels like. In some ways I wish I had the AA Variant because I'm always looking for an edge, but sadly it's not with Caffeine for me.
If you never had a 23AndMe test, I'm not sure it will tell you much. You probably already know if Caffeine gives you that "Pick me up" or if it doesn't... Just don't assume that because it actually does work for some people that you are supposed to also take it during the later stages of a race.
https://examine.com/nutrition/caffeine-consumption/
They have another good one on caffeine too:
https://examine.com/supplements/caffeine/