Caffeine is one of the most studied ergogenic substances (that is, capable of increasing muscle activity) in the sports field, and its relevance for certain performances, particularly in endurance, is now well documented. However, effective does not mean essential, and it is important to avoid the shortcut “the more I take, the faster I will go.” Indeed, individual sensitivity, amount consumed, timing of intake, duration of effort, and impact on sleep must all be fully considered before defining what is best for each athlete. Without turning your espresso into a magic potion or demonizing the sacred cup of coffee, let’s take stock of the caffeine and sport alliance in this article!
Why does the caffeine and sport duo interest athletes so much?
Caffeine is a substance naturally found in various plants and is obviously present in coffee, but also in the tea, the mate, the guarana or the cocoa. It can also be added to certain products intended for athletes, such as drinks or energy gels. Its interest in sports lies particularly in its action on the central nervous system. Caffeine acts, among other things, by interfering with the action of adenosine, a molecule involved in the sensation of fatigue and drowsiness.
Thus, this explains why drinking a coffee does not literally give you energy like carbohydrates could (which logically are at the heart of the recipe for our range of energy drinks). Caffeine acts more as a stimulant likely to influence your alertness and your perception of effort. The nuance is important and we will return to it: caffeine and energy fuel are not the same thing.
Focus on the effects of caffeine on sports performance
Caffeine goes beyond just helping you open your eyes during a trail start at 5 a.m.. Its effects, however, depend on the type of effort, the amount consumed, and, above all, the athlete.
Vigilance, concentration, and perception of effort
The stimulating action of caffeine on the central nervous system particularly contributes to increasing alertness and modifying the perception of effort. At equivalent intensity, some people may thus feel the exercise as slightly less difficult after consuming caffeine. This effect is particularly interesting in a long event where fatigue accumulates and maintaining concentration becomes more complicated, like a night trail for example.
However, be careful with the shortcut: caffeine does not make fatigue disappear. Your body continues to work and your energy reserves decrease. It can, however, act on certain mechanisms associated with the perception of this fatigue.
Does caffeine really improve endurance performance?
Scientific research recognizes caffeine as having an ergogenic effect in many sports situations. Its interest has notably been observed in the endurance disciplines, where it can help improve certain performance parameters, which explains the enthusiasm it creates among runners, cyclists, triathletes or trail runners.
However, not everyone reacts the same way to caffeine. Its ability to increase muscle activity can be accompanied by deleterious effects on the field: a quantity well tolerated and deemed effective by your training partner may cause you nervousness, digestive discomfort, or sleep disturbances. In other words, caffeine is more of a potential tool than a guarantee of performance.
Does caffeine help fight fatigue?
Yes… but not exactly! While caffeine can influence alertness and the perception of effort, it does not replenish glycogen stores and provides virtually no energy to the body itself. Therefore, during an effort long enough to require carbohydrate intake, consuming only caffeine while neglecting one's nutritional strategy is to be avoided. It is precisely for this reason that some products intended for endurance combine it with carbohydrates, like our caffeine energy gel : at the key, a response tailored to your energy needs and the stimulating action of our molecule.
Why does its use spark debate within the sports community?
If caffeine were effective in the same way for everyone, without any drawbacks, this article could stop here. But the reality is quite different. The use of caffeine in sports is debated precisely because its ergogenic potential coexists with significant individual variability and possible side effects.
Different effects depending on the athletes
We do not all metabolize caffeine in exactly the same way. The culprits? Genetics, consumption habits, and individual sensitivity. Thus, some athletes clearly feel its effects with a relatively small amount, while others seem much less sensitive. If you consume several coffees each day, your experience may not be comparable to that of a person who hardly drinks any. Let’s take this opportunity to remind an essential point: whether it is caffeine or another new product of sports nutrition, it is training that should serve as the test, never competition!
Digestive issues, nervousness, palpitations: does it cause undesirable effects?
Caffeine consumption can cause certain people effects that one would gladly do without at the starting line:
nervousness or agitation,
tremors,
discomfort or digestive issues,
increased heart rate or palpitations,
headaches,
difficulty falling asleep or degradation of sleep.
The risk and intensity of these effects depend notably on the amount consumed and, once again, of your sensitivity to the molecule. Do you have some apprehensions about testing? You can start with a stick with a relatively short release to observe the effects, and initially space out the doses compared to the product recommendations.
Finally, let's open a parenthesis “caffeine and sleep”. Indeed, this is a parameter that can be set aside when reasoning solely in terms of immediate performance. Let’s clarify that caffeine can remain active in the body for several hours after consumption. A late intake can thus disrupt falling asleep or the quality of sleep in some people. And that’s not what we wish for you because sleep and athletic performance are closely linked! In short, gaining performance in a session thanks to caffeine but then degrading your recovery by sleeping poorly is obviously not the brightest idea. The timing of the effort to be made and the timing of your caffeine intake should therefore be part of your consideration, especially if you are sensitive to its effects.
Caffeine, before or during exertion?
The most common idea involves consumption about an hour before the effort, but the timing also depends on the form of the product consumed, the type of event, and its duration. To summarize, let’s say that a caffeine capsule and an energy gel are not taken in the same way.
In long efforts, some athletes prefer to integrate caffeine later in their race strategy, when fatigue becomes more significant, rather than consuming their entire intake before the start. In the context of a long endurance event, such as a marathon, a trail, or a large-scale cycling event, it is often the spaced intakes that will be favored.
And what about a cup of coffee before a sports competition, is that okay?
It is a fairly common practice: to eliminate caffeine a few days before a competition in the hope of becoming more sensitive to its effects on the day. However, systematic withdrawal is not necessarily an essential strategy to enjoy the effects of caffeine. Moreover, a sudden change in habits can cause withdrawal symptoms in some regular consumers, marked by headaches, fatigue, or irritability. No universal rule, then!
Coffee, energy gel, drink…: which source of caffeine should be favored for sports?
Whether it comes in an espresso or in a sports nutrition product, caffeine does not fundamentally change its function depending on its source. However, the amount ingested, the format, and the other nutrients consumed with it can lead to varied consequences.
The traditional cup of coffee: a quantity of caffeine that is difficult to control
Coffee is obviously one of the most common sources of caffeine... but not all coffees provide exactly the same amount, particularly depending on the variety of the bean, the preparation method, the dose used, or the volume served. This is not necessarily problematic on a daily basis, but the amount ingested is less easy to control when trying to establish a precise sports nutrition strategy. Unfortunately, “two large coffees” is not a recognized unit!
Caffeinated energy gels: carbohydrates and caffeine during effort
Caffeinated energy gel follows a different logic: to combine an energy intake suitable for the effort with a determined amount of caffeine. This is indeed the principle of our energy gel Cherry-Guarana, designed for efforts during which caffeine finds its place in your sports strategy.
But be careful, the presence of caffeine does not automatically make it the gel to consume at every aid station: it should be integrated into your overall caffeine intake during the event. A coffee before the start, a caffeinated gel a few kilometers later, possibly a drink also containing caffeine, then a cola at the aid station… taken separately, each intake may seem reasonable. Added together, it’s a different story!
Is caffeine considered a doping product?
The question is legitimate when talking about a substance capable of influencing performance. Caffeine indeed has a small history with anti-doping: it was previously on the list of prohibited substances beyond certain concentrations.
Today, it is not banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and can therefore be consumed by athletes in competition in compliance with current regulations. If you compete at a high level or participate in competitions subject to anti-doping rules, the best reflex remains the same: consult the updated information from the WADA and the relevant organizations.
How to integrate caffeine into your nutritional strategy in competition?
If there is only one thing to remember, it might be this: caffeine is not a fuel. It does not replace the carbohydrates necessary for certain efforts, nor hydration, nor electrolyte tablets when the conditions and duration of the event justify their intake. On the other hand, it is an additional tool to integrate into a nutritional strategy adapted to the athlete and the event.
Before a competition, ask yourself a few simple questions:
Do I tolerate caffeine well?
How much will I consume in total?
At what time?
Are other sources of caffeine planned?
If you want to integrate it into your sports strategy, remember three principles: dose it, test it, and think of it in the context of your overall intake. Surprises, yes, but not at kilometer 35 of a marathon!
/!\ Caffeine is not suitable for everyone!
People who are particularly sensitive to its effects should obviously exercise caution. Its consumption also requires precautions in certain specific situations, particularly during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Certain pathologies or medical situations may also justify limiting or avoiding its consumption. We invite you to consult your treating physician in case of doubt.