Caffeine and athletic performance

Caffeine is well known as a morning beverage, or an afternoon pick me up...but what about using it to improve athletic performance?

Caffeine is so effective at improving athletic prowess that athletes who had consumed high concentrations of caffeine were banned from all Olympic events by the World Doping Agency between 1984-2004! Luckily, that ban has been lifted, and now it is considered a “restricted” substance, with athletes performing at high levels not being allowed to have a concentration higher than 15 micrograms per milliliter in their body (equivalent to about 500 mg or 6 to 8 cups of brewed coffee two to three hours before competition).

According to research compiled by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), aerobic endurance exercise has the most consistent moderate-to-large benefit from caffeine usage. Caffeine also seems to be useful for both trained and untrained athletes, improving performance for both groups (though we still wouldn’t recommend skipping your training and relying on caffeinated bevvys on their own!).

Timing of caffeine ingestion for pre-exercise is most commonly suggested as 60 minutes pre-exercise. Dosage amounts that have been seen to consistently improve performance are 3-6 mg/kg of body mass (this would equal out to around 200 mg of caffeine for a 68kg/ 150 lb individual at the lower dose). Minimal doses as low as 2mg/kg of body weight have also been proven to show some benefits (this is around 136 mg for a 68kg/ 150 lb individual).

With 85 mg of caffeine per can, WakeWater is a great option to see how caffeine can enhance your athletic abilities! Grab a can before your next workout