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.

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.

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.

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.