Taking caffeine before training improves performance because it has a stimulating effect on the brain, increasing willingness and dedication to training. Furthermore, it increases muscle strength and fat burning, and reduces post-workout fatigue, which is the feeling of tiredness and muscular exhaustion after physical activity.
Thus, caffeine helps with both aerobic and anaerobic training, and can also bring benefits when consumed after training, as it facilitates the transport of glucose from the blood to the muscles, which helps with muscle recovery.
The maximum recommended value of this supplement is around 6 mg per kilogram of weight, which is equivalent to around 400 mg or 4 cups of strong coffee. Its use should be done in moderation, as it can cause dependence and some side effects, such as irritation and insomnia.
Benefits of caffeine for training
The benefits of drinking coffee before training are:
- Improves attention and concentrationas it acts as a brain stimulant;
- Increases agility and dispositionby reducing the feeling of fatigue;
- Increases strengthmuscle contraction and resistance;
- Improves breathingby stimulating the dilation of the airways;
- Facilitates fat burning us muscles;
- Lose weightas it has a thermogenic effect, which accelerates metabolism and fat burning, in addition to reducing appetite.
The fat-burning effect of coffee favors weight loss and increased muscle mass, as well as improving the feeling of fatigue in the muscles after physical activity.
Is caffeine better before or after training?
Caffeine should preferably be consumed pre-workout to improve physical performance during both aerobic and hypertrophy physical activity. As it is quickly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and reaches a peak concentration in the blood in around 15 to 45 minutes, ideally it should be consumed around 30 minutes to 1 hour before training.
However, it can also be ingested during the day, as its action lasts from 3 to 8 hours in the body, with effects lasting up to 12 hours, which varies according to the presentation formula.
Post-workout, caffeine can be used by athletes looking to gain muscle mass, as it helps transport sugars into the muscle and help with muscle recovery for the next workout, but ideally it should be discussed with the nutritionist to assess whether this option is more beneficial than pre-workout use, in each case.
Recommended amount of caffeine
The recommended amount of caffeine for better performance during training is 2 to 6 mg per kilogram of weight, but its use should start with low doses and gradually increase, according to each person’s tolerance.
The maximum dose for a person weighing 70 kg, for example, is equivalent to 420 mg or 4-5 roasted coffees, and exceeding this dose is dangerous, as it can cause serious side effects, such as agitation, palpitation and dizziness. Learn more at Coffee and Caffeinated Drinks Can Cause Overdose.
Caffeine is also present in other foods, such as soft drinks and chocolates. Check the amount of caffeine in some foods in the table below:
Caffeine can also be consumed in the form of supplements, such as capsules or in the form of anhydrous caffeine, or methylxanthine, which is its purified powder form, which is more concentrated and can have more powerful effects. These supplements can be purchased at compounding pharmacies or sports products pharmacies. See where to buy and how to use caffeine in capsules.
In addition to caffeine, homemade energy drinks are also a great option for improving training performance, giving you more energy to train. See how to prepare a delicious energy drink with honey and lemon to drink during training by watching this video from our nutritionist:
Who shouldn’t consume caffeine
The use of excessive caffeine or coffee is not recommended for children, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and for people with high blood pressure, arrhythmia, heart disease or stomach ulcers.
It should also be avoided by people who suffer from insomnia, anxiety, migraines, tinnitus and labyrinthitis, as it can worsen symptoms.
Furthermore, people who use MAOI-type antidepressants, such as Phenelzine, Pargyline, Seleginine and Tranylcypromine, for example, should avoid high doses of caffeine, as there may be an association of effects that cause high blood pressure and accelerated heartbeat.
