Using caffeine to help your endurance performance

· Caffeine ·

Hi Saturday Morning Fan,

In Saturday, we’ve focused on creating nutrition recipes that include carbohydrates, sodium, and water. However, there is another very effective performance-enhancing supplement that can improve endurance performance: caffeine. In this newsletter, we’ll explore the benefits, dosages, and practical ways to include caffeine in your nutrition plans.

Why use caffeine?

Caffeine is one of the few supplements proven to be effective. For a time, caffeine was on the banned list of WADA (World Anti-Doping Authority) but was removed about 20 years ago when WADA realized there are too many natural sources in daily life, and the risk of contamination is high. It’s effective and something athletes should consider using to enhance their performance.

Caffeine has been shown to:

1) Increase fat oxidation, sparing glycogen stores;

2) Delay fatigue in prolonged events;

3) Improve focus;

4) Reduce RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) during endurance events.

These are all benefits endurance athletes definitely want!

What dose to use?

Most scientific research has examined a single pre-exercise dose of caffeine, typically investigated for relatively short events. The recommended dose is 3-6mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight, taken approximately one hour before the event.

For longer events, research is more limited, and no widely accepted guidelines exist. However, the half-life of caffeine is approximately 4-6 hours, which can guide a strategy for extended events. In addition to the 3-6mg/kg dose before the event, a supplementary dose of ~100mg every 3 hours during long races should maintain the benefits of caffeine throughout the event.

Sources of Caffeine

Caffeine can be bitter, so it’s usually best not to include it in sports drinks. However, gels and caffeine pills are convenient options that minimize bitterness. Most caffeine pills contain 100mg per dose. Gels come in various caffeine doses, such as 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg.

Following the dosing guidelines above, the easiest pre-event option is caffeine pills, as most athletes will aim to take between 200mg and 400mg depending on their body weight. During long events, the following plans could work:

1) A caffeine pill or gel with 100mg - take a dose every 3 hours;

2) Gels with 50mg - take a gel every 90 minutes;

3) Gels with 25mg - take a gel every 45 minutes.

How to include this in your plan

In Saturday, we don’t explicitly include caffeine (yet). However, on the recipe page, there are options to “Add Products” where you can include your own nutrition products and these can include gels (and other products) with caffeine.

When preparing a nutrition plan, be mindful of what gels you’ll use. If you plan to use caffeine, choose products that allow you to achieve the recommended doses above.

· What should be in your fuel? ·

This video is your ultimate guide, breaking down the Top 5 components to look for in your fuel, ensuring you get the most out of every sweat-drenched workout. From a caffeine boost to the importance of the right glucose-fructose ratio, we leave no stone unturned.

What's In Your Fuel? Here's What Should Be

· Saturday Merch ·

If you'd like to share your support for Saturday and show that you're a part of Team Speed Nectar, you can find our new range of merch on our website.

Have any thoughts, comments, or questions that you'd like to share? Please email us anytime!

Dr. Alex