Caffeine and Working Out

So recently I have been reading more and more about the positive effects that caffeine can have on athletic performance.  For a long time, it seemed that sports research related to caffeine only focused on the negative effects that caffeine could have on an athlete, such as the potential increase in the rate of dehydration.  This stemmed from the fact that caffeine exhibits diuretic effects and the potential increase in rate of perspiration from caffeine consumption.  Recent research has disputed this and there appears to be no real conclusive evidence either way.

We do know that caffeine is a stimulant, and as a result it stimulates the central nervous system which can make exercise seem easier, reduce pain and in turn allow athletes to exercise at a more intense rate.  It also increases heart rate, improves blood flow and helps reduce fatigue.  Studies have confirmed improved performance of athletes in both short intense exercise and endurance activities.  One thing to keep in mind is the benefits do not seem to have positive effects for those athletes that already consume 5-6 caffeine containing beverages a day.  The reasoning behind this is that the effects of caffeine appear to reduce over time, requiring more and more in order to gain the same effect.  For folks that consume 1-2 cups of coffee a day, it appears that in order to make athletic gains from caffeine, 2 to 3 milligrams per kilogram of body weight should be consumed about an hour before a workout or athletic event.  This is the equivalent of 2 to 3 cups of coffee.  I looked into whether it makes a difference if a person gets the caffeine from coffee or pill supplement and from the research I looked it, it makes only the slightest difference.  So small in fact that if you enjoy drinking coffee as much as I do, then by all means get your caffeine from coffee!