Health and Nutrition
Various elements are explored, from nutritional requirements to boost energy levels to the pros and cons of caffeine.
An ABC of nutritional ergogenic aids and dietary supplements.
How much is necessary to produce an effect?
It used to be thought that large doses of caffeine, equivalent to 6 or more cups of strong coffee were necessary to produce any benefit. It is now known, however, that much lower doses can be effective for most people. Caffeine doses are usually expressed in milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg). Caffeine was often used by athletes, especially cyclists, in the 1960's, before its use was limited by the IOC. The amounts used were often in excess of 1 gram, equivalent to about 14 mg/kg for a 70 kg individual. This is a very high dose, enough to produce muscle tremors and sometimes chest palpitations. We now know that as little as 3 mg/kg can be enough to improve performance.
What about the doping regulations?
There is a large variability between individuals in their sensitivity to the effects of caffeine and in the urine concentration that is reached after a fixed amount is taken. The reasons for this variability are not at present clear, but it appears that habitual caffeine use is not a factor. Body size is clearly important in considering the dose to be used, but there is a large inter-individual variability in the sensitivity to the actions of caffeine and in the urine concentration that will result from a given dose.
Performance enhancing effects of caffeine are seen at doses that will not cause MOST people to fail a drugs test. BUT some people might.
An athlete registering a urine caffeine concentration of 12 mg/litre or more is guilty of a doping offence under the IOC rules. This level will be reached by most - but not all - people who take a caffeine dose of 12 mg/kg or more. It will also be reached by some people who take much less, and 5-6 mg/kg may be enough for some people to fail the test. A dose of 3 mg/kg may be enough to gain a beneficial effect without a significant risk, but there are no guarantees
The use of caffeine is limited for athletes in competition, but caffeine is not tested for in out of competition samples, so you can experiment safely in training to find your own responses.
