Caffeine is one of the most prevalent drugs consumed around the world, and is frequently used by athletes in efforts to enhance their performance. It is defined by the Medical Dictionary as “A bitter white alkaloid, C8H10N4O2 that stimulates the central nervous system and body metabolism” (2010). Some believe that increasing their caffeine intake will then improve their energy and endurance levels during long-term sporting events such as running, biking, or swimming. Caffeine is found in an assortment of foods and drinks including but not limited to coffee, tea, cokes and cola products, chocolate and energy drinks. Caffeine can also be found in some over-the-counter medications.
In a recent research study produced by the Kinesiology Department of Delaware University, the following findings were presented: that caffeine is a vasoconstrictor and stimulant; caffeine can increase blood pressure by contracting the heart and blood vessels in non-habitual users; caffeine changes the electro-physiological activity of the heart, increasing conductivity, even in limited doses (University of Delaware). In regards to the gastrointestinal side effects, the UD study wrote that caffeine stimulates gastric secretion, stating that some individuals are sensitive to caffeine and suffer ill effects such as acid indigestion, heartburn, abdominal pain, gas or constipation to varying degrees. In addition, caffeine inhibits vasopressin, and it acts as a powerful diuretic. Liver metabolism is
Caffeine is a natural central nervous system stimulant. It is considered a drug that if is overly consumed can be dangerous for one’s body. Caffeine is a temporary energy booster that improves mood and alertness for most people, mainly athletes. It can be an eye-opener in the morning, could be drunk or eaten on practice brakes, and for some, it just became a habit that they cannot go through a day without a cup of coffee before exiting their doorways. Furthermore, it requires good health and stamina for athletes to perform throughout the game, particularly the one in teams,
The end result is an increase in blood sugar for use as muscle fuel. Basically, it is believed that caffeine raises the general metabolism of the user, which resultantly increases the activity and raises the body’s temperature (wysiwyg://35/http://onhealth.com/ch1/indepth/item/item.34623_1_1.asp).
Ann Pietrangelo of Healthline.com lists these organs as the digestive and excretory system, circulatory and respiratory systems, skeletal and muscular systems, and the reproductive system. In the digestive and excretory systems, caffeine increases the acid in your stomach causing heartburn or upset stomach. Since it’s a diuretic, it tells your body to get rid of water. Nausea and vomiting can be triggered from caffeine withdraw. Caffeine overdose can cause excessive thirst, diarrhea, and increased urination. The circulatory and respiratory system can make your blood pressure go up. People with irregular heart rhythms, the caffeine can make the heart work harder than normal. Large amounts of caffeine consumption can interfere with absorption and metabolism of calcium. This can lead to osteoporosis. With the reproductive system, Pietrangelo points out that caffeine travels within the bloodstream and will cross into the placenta. This can cause a baby’s heart rate and metabolism to increase. Caffeine in large amounts can slow fetal growth and increase the risk of miscarriages. Painful lumps in the breast (fibrocystic disease) can also be a symptom of caffeine. Along with all the adverse side effects of caffeine, there are some health benefits when it’s taken in
The overview and purpose of this article was to explain all common aspects of caffeine, and the affects it has on both professional and recreational athletes. Caffeine looks as if it is involved in multiple areas of the body, so it is hard for scientist to study the specific effects of caffeine on the muscles, the central nervous system and our fat tissue. This article individually explains the findings of caffeine and performance of graded exercise tests, caffeine and
Minor undesired symptoms from caffeine ingestion not sufficiently severe to warrant a psychiatric diagnosis are common, and include mild anxiety, jitteriness, insomnia, and interference with co-ordination in athletes. Caffeine in low doses may cause weak bronchodilation for up to four hours in asthmatics: it should therefore be avoided prior to having any lung function test performed.
A main ingredient in most pre-workout supplements is caffeine. Caffeine is a mild stimulant that has been shown to enhance performance within endurance sports, while decreasing the perceptions of pain and effort. This mild stimulant allows surges in nitric oxide concentrations producing stronger muscle contractions (Campbell et al,
Everyone knows the feeling of waking up and making that morning cup of coffee to help
It has in fact been found that intake of caffeine may enhances the physical performance however there is no linear relation between the amount of caffeine consumed and the performance. It is evidenced that caffeine is able to enhance different types of performance when consumed in low or moderate doses (3-6 mg/kg), whereas higher doses provides no further benefits. It is evident that caffeine enhances the performance during high-intense exercises for a longer period of time, the impact of caffeine is however not identical in all individuals and the effect on the performance depends on the athletes. There are reported no significantly difference of the impact of caffeine on individuals habitually caffeine consumers and non-habitual caffeine
Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant drug and is commonly found in coffee, tea, chocolate, cola and other products. It is commonly ingested drugs globally and is one of the most studied. Caffeine is a white solid material at room temperature; classified as alkaloid- a nitrogen-containing basic compound that is obtained from plants and has physiologic effects in the body. The number of experimental studies reported increased urination (diuresis) after caffeine intake of 3.4-6 mg/kg/day, which was in some cases associated with increased natriuresis or the excretion of sulfate. Although 6mg/kg caffeine increased urine flows and sweat electrolyte excretion in response to exercise, there was no overall effect on hydration status (Killer,
Caffeine, in doses that might be consumed in a beverage (250 mg), has been shown in normal subjects have shown an increased levels of catecholamines circulating in their system, however, energy drinks are also often consumed in a large quantities or accelerated manner. In addition, there may be also further amounts of caffeine that remained unaccounted for because several of the ingredients from common additives such as kola nut, guarana, and yerba mate, which contain ample amounts of caffeine. As well as, energy drinks have also been shown to accelerate in platelet aggregation and may also diminish myocardial blood flow when consumed before exercise, and significantly increase myocardial oxygen requirements, all of which could result in cardiac ischemia. Hypokalemia, which occurs in a caffeine dose-related manner, could contribute to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. Energy drinks may also expose channelopathies by prolonging the QT interval or restraining sodium channel conduction. (Goldfarb, Tellier & Thanassoulis,
In this literature review, I will be analysing the literature on Caffeine Ingestion and Endurance Performance.
Ever stay up late studying for a test or exam and wake up exhausted? Or just experienced a long day and need an extra boost? Many people believe caffeine is the answer to anyone’s drained state of being. Healthline.com explains that, “Caffeine reaches your brain quickly and acts as a central nervous system stimulant.” Caffeine is commonly referred to the most widely used drug on the planet, so the next question is which caffeine-filled product is the most efficient? It is widely debated whether energy drinks or coffee can provide the best balance of caffeine, flavor, and other ingredients, but after researching, I have come to conclude coffee is superlative in all aspects.
The metabolism results of study A showed caffeine results (Fig. A) as expected. Pre-caf gave the earliest caffeine reading, followed by dur-caf. Urinary caffeine levels (Fig. B) were well below the International Olympic Committee regulation of 12µg/ml. Plasma analysis showed that blood glucose levels were higher in the pre-caf treatment, possibly due an increase in metabolic rate from the
Caffeine has many negative effects on humans, such as increased heart rate (Lane, J.D., 2002), depression (Goldstein, 2008), and addiction to this “drug.” You may be asking yourself, “What is caffeine?” Well, caffeine is actually a stimulant (Barone, Roberts, 2008) that is found in beverages such as tea, coffee, and soft drinks. In fact, caffeine is the highest grossing and most used stimulant in the United States (Barone, Roberts, 2008). It is estimated that 85% of adults living in the United States consume caffeine on a daily basis (Barone, Roberts, 2008). That means for every 100 adults, 85 of them have had a drink that contained caffeine on any given day. One reason caffeine is so widely available compared to other stimulants is
Caffiene should be drank in moderation. Caffeine is a stimulate of the cardiac muscle and central nervous system. When caffeine is consumed in excessive amounts it can cause stomach issues, insomia, nervousness, and dehydration. “Caffeine affects the kidneys by acting as a diuretic, which increases urine production and therefore increases loss of water from the body. Numerous studies have provided evidence linking this loss of fluid with high levels of caffeine