Sportswear coffee. Is coffee compatible with a sports lifestyle?

Video: the benefits and harms of caffeine

TOP 10 facts about caffeine

Symptoms of a caffeine overdose

A little about caffeine

A cup of coffee in the morning is a way to spur the body and put it into working condition after waking up. Due to what is such an effect achieved? Of course, due to the presence in the drink of such a component as caffeine.

Caffeine is one of the rather powerful alkaloids that give a pronounced effect of stimulating the central nervous system. At the same time, the excitability of the psyche increases, an increase in working capacity is observed. However, like any substance of this type (and caffeine can be classified as a drug to a certain extent), it requires a regular increase in the dose. And just this explains the fact that over time a person needs to drink more and more coffee in order to "start" his body in the morning.

Effects of caffeine

As already mentioned, caffeine improves endurance and performance, reduces fatigue and eliminates drowsiness. In addition, it promotes better fat burning.

Many studies have confirmed that caffeine trains the heart muscle (if taken in reasonable doses, of course), reduces the risk of liver cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

How does caffeine affect the body?

There are several theories that explain all of the above effects of caffeine on the body. However, none of them has yet received 100% confirmation.

According to the generally accepted classical theory, caffeine inhibits the action of the enzyme phosphodiesterase, and this contributes to the accumulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate. It is thanks to AMP that the effect of drugs is enhanced, and the process of glycogenolysis, metabolism in the body is accelerated.

What does caffeine do for bodybuilding?

As a result of research, it was found that caffeine during training does not consume the supply of muscle glycogen. Due to this, the performance of the athlete increases and his general psychological mood improves.

Because of this, caffeine is often included in the so-called "pre-workout" - drinks that make the athlete cheer up and perform exercises at an increased pace. Caffeine blocks the so-called "fatigue receptors", which makes the bodybuilder less tired and able to perform more exercise.

Caffeine also has a fat burning effect.

Naturally, during the "caffeine cycle" the athlete can train longer, perform more sets and repetitions. This leads to an increase in muscle mass and strength indicators.

However, many athletes are afraid of taking caffeine due to the fact that, according to some reports, it blocks the action of creatine. It has not yet been possible to find out for certain the validity or fallacy of such a theory.

When should you take caffeine?

During training, it is recommended to take caffeine according to the characteristics of the reaction of your own body. Approximately 20-30 minutes before the start of the workout, since it is at this time that a significant increase in the stimulating effect of caffeine is observed. However, it does not necessarily have to be the coffee drink itself. Caffeine can be taken as part of "pre-workouts", and in the form of energy drinks, and in tablet form, and in the form of tea.

As for competitions, experts recommend giving up caffeine altogether a few days before them. During this time, the body reduces its tolerance to caffeine, but when the athlete resumes caffeine intake before the competition itself, the effect is much more pronounced.

What foods contain caffeine

Here is the data on the approximate content of caffeine in some products (average per 1 cup):

black tea - 40 - 60 mg;
green tea - 75 mg;
instant coffee - 60 mg;
coffee from a coffee maker - 60 - 120 mg;
energy drinks - 100 mg;
Cola - 40 mg;
energy gel - 25 mg in one sachet;
bitter chocolate (~ 50g) - 40 mg;
milk chocolate (~50g) - 12 mg.

Caffeine and sports nutrition

Back in the "golden era" of bodybuilding, athletes drank several cups of coffee before training. Today there is no need to carry a thermos of coffee with you. Caffeine is found in many specialized sports energy drinks. They help the athlete increase the intensity of the workout and maintain muscle and mental tone.
Caffeine is often combined in such drinks with guarana, a kind of long-acting caffeine.
Fat burning complexes work best when combined with caffeine.

I must say that for each person the dosage will be individual. It depends both on the general health of the person and on the degree of his tolerance to caffeine. If, for example, for someone even a dose of 300 mg does not have the desired effect, then for another, even 100 mg of caffeine will cause overdose symptoms. It is generally accepted that the daily intake of caffeine should not exceed 400 mg.

Side effects and overdose

Like any potent substance, caffeine has its contraindications for use. This:

high blood pressure;
heart diseases;
diseases of the liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.

However, this does not mean that caffeine should not be taken categorically. Eliminate caffeine is required only in case of pronounced exacerbations of these diseases or in case of deterioration of health. Side effects and an overdose of caffeine lead to:

deterioration in performance;
increased excitability, insomnia;
darkening in the eyes;
headaches;
increased heart rate and sweating;
hand trembling;
frequent urination;
diarrhea
muscle spasms.

A regular increase in caffeine dosage is an inevitable phenomenon for those who take it every day. However, over time, in order to achieve the same stimulating effect, so much coffee is required that a person begins to have serious problems with the central nervous system, on the contrary, a sharp depression of the mental state is observed, pronounced overdose symptoms appear. In this case, you should immediately stop taking caffeine. At least until the moment when the body's tolerance to it is significantly reduced.

Caffeine is an excellent stimulant of the nervous system, it is widely popular in the pharmaceutical industry, various preparations are made on the basis of it, due to the high efficiency of the substance and the low financial cost. But in addition to medicines, caffeine is found in the favorite foods of many people, and every day they get their dose of alkaloid by drinking a cup of tea or coffee together, or maybe eaten by chocolate. In addition to affecting the nervous system and brain activity, caffeine in sports has a positive effect on athletes at the time of physical activity, increasing their endurance and turning subcutaneous fat into fuel for training.

caffeine burns fat

This alkaloid has proven itself in many aspects of the functionality of the human body, one of which was fat burning. Caffeine increases the synthesis of fatty acids in the blood, which, in turn, are responsible for the use of fat as expendable energy, while even when a person is at rest, more calories are burned. This action is due not only to an increase in the amount of fatty acids, but also to the acceleration of metabolic processes, which increase by several percent after each cup of coffee drunk. Therefore, caffeine in sports is an indispensable component, especially when burning extra centimeters.

In addition, various studies have shown that at the time of exercise, if a food supplement in the form of caffeine was taken thirty minutes before it, the number of calories burned increases by 50%. As a result, about 70% of the total calories will be burned due to fat oxidation and 30% due to the breakdown of sugar.

It is also important to note that people who have taken caffeine will find it easier to perform exercises, as endurance and the ability to perform more complex physical tasks increase. Psychological fatigue against this background is also noticeably reduced.

Caffeine - benefits and harms

Caffeine helps to achieve better athletic performance due to increased endurance, this is its main action. The substance promotes the synthesis of adrenaline, which accelerates the production of fatty acids, thereby converting fat into energy without affecting the glycogen in the muscles. The alkaloid also affects brain activity, allowing you to work out more intensively without feeling tired. That is, the psycho-emotional state, after drinking caffeine, becomes more excited due to the release of an additional portion of adrenaline into the blood and makes the body work at the peak of its capabilities. Thus, caffeine in sports helps to cope with the state of the plateau.

The importance for bodybuilders in the use of caffeine is that it increases strength through the release of norepinephrine and does not consume glycogen, which is so important for muscle growth. And norepinephrine improves muscle contraction, which also affects their growth. Various experiments in this area have found that endurance athletes increase by more than 20% when taking two cups of coffee, while this amount of drink does not affect the water balance in the body and cannot contribute to dehydration.

Athletes who experience respiratory difficulties will also appreciate the benefits of caffeine intake. Studies have shown that the substance improves the contractility of the diaphragm.

Australian scientists have concluded that caffeine in sports contributes to a faster recovery of strength and glycogen after physical exertion, if taken together with a gainer or simply with fast carbohydrates. The indicator was higher by 66%, in contrast to taking only a carbohydrate cocktail. And subsequent workouts are easier and more intense.

The use of caffeine in sports

You can get the required dose of caffeine from black tea, coffee, or nutritional supplements specially designed for this purpose. The latter option is the most convenient, since the supplement is easily absorbed by the body, shows a good result and is inexpensive. Athletes who do not like coffee will especially appreciate the benefits of supplements in tablet form.

In order for the alkaloid to bring results, it is necessary to develop a strategy for its intake. If you opt for a caffeine supplement, they are usually based on guarana, a plant that is rich in caffeine, is legal and affordable. The dosage in this case should be an average of 3-4 mg per kilogram of human weight, but the exact dose recommendations for each athlete are individual and depend on physiological characteristics. Therefore, for some, the allowable dose is 200 and 400 mg of the substance, while for others, 100 mg can cause signs of an overdose.

Caffeine taken an hour before the start of the workout, no matter in what form, brings the greatest effectiveness. It is during this time that the substance is best absorbed in the plasma and will bring the best result. The substance retains its effect for another two to three hours, and is completely eliminated from the body after 12 hours. If a competition is coming up, it is recommended to reduce the dose of caffeine three days before the start, but take a high dose an hour before the start, which should significantly increase its effect. Since 2008, caffeine has been removed from the list of prohibited additives, although years earlier, caffeine was not used in sports.

If you intend to get caffeine from coffee, you should choose natural varieties, preferably in whole grains, and process them yourself. Two hundred grams of natural coffee contains about 135 mg of pure caffeine. If you choose an instant drink, it has a lower content of the substance, about 100 mg.

Cola is also a source of caffeine, but is largely inferior in its content to coffee or tea, 60 mg per 200 g of drink. In addition, cola contains a lot of sugar, which is unacceptable for a bodybuilder's protein diet, excess glucose will only harm the workout. It is better to exclude this option and choose a more useful one, such as coffee or nutritional supplements. Energy drinks are also based on caffeine, but along with it are also guarana, taurine and other components that affect the psycho-emotional state. But they are, since sublimated coffee in cans has additional harmful preservatives that allow the product to be stored longer.

Caffeine Overdose - Symptoms

Important! A dose exceeding nine milligrams per kilogram of a person's body weight can become dangerous and cause side effects from different body systems.

For each, the dosage is individual, but it is not desirable to exceed 5 mg per kilogram of weight, since various negative manifestations may occur. The main ones include:

increased arousal;
sleep disturbance;
sense of anxiety;
dry mouth;
darkening in the eyes;
tinnitus;
increased sweating;
rapid heartbeat and breathing;
nausea and vomiting;
disorder of the gastrointestinal tract;
caffeine in sports increases the feeling of heat in the body.

Also, an overdose of caffeine in sports leads to the expansion of coronary vessels, which can cause the development of pathologies such as coronary heart disease or heart attack. The systematic abuse of caffeine causes a backlash, it can lead to exhaustion of the nervous system and, instead of increasing physical activity, on the contrary, reduce it. Along with this, the alkaloid stimulates the production and density of gastric juice, which can adversely affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, especially for people who suffer from gastritis or stomach ulcers. Coffee should be drunk on an empty stomach, preferably on an empty stomach, but do not drink it with food. Since fermentation or decay processes may occur, due to the rapid transportation of ingested products through the gastrointestinal tract.

Caffeine is addictive, this should be remembered, each time, with a systematic, daily intake, an increasing dose of the substance will be required to feel the effect of its use. And after a sharp abolition of the use of the alkaloid, after prolonged use, inhibition of nerve receptors in the central nervous system occurs. As a result, it is manifested by weakness, disability, depression. Brain activity slows down, the body lacks energy, the source of which has been sharply deprived of it.

Caffeine is an excellent stimulant of the nervous system, and also has a positive effect on athletes at the time of physical activity, increasing their endurance and turning subcutaneous fat into fuel for training.

The use of creatine with caffeine in sports

Another point that worries athletes is the compatibility of caffeine with creatine. Concerning their compatibility, battles have been fought for more than one year. Some studies speak of a positive effect, while others, on the contrary, deny this fact. Caffeine acts as a suppressant on creatine, but in the interaction leads to a positive, not a negative effect. So, for example, the effect from caffeine is two, from creatine also, but in the total application, the figure comes out - three. Where two is the effect of caffeine, and one is from creatine, but the total effect is greater than if the substances are used separately, despite the fact that the effect of creatine is still weakened by the action of caffeine. Based on this, it is quite reasonable to use supplements that contain both substances, if the individual tolerance of the body allows this.

Summarizing the above, it should be noted that caffeine in sports is a completely harmless and useful nutritional supplement for athletes who want to increase their endurance and energy in training. But harmlessness will only be in the case when the dosages of the substance do not exceed the permissible limits, otherwise, instead of inexhaustible energy, you can get a completely opposite effect and, in addition, problems with the cardiovascular system of the body and not only. Remember that everything is good in moderation, including caffeine, and how you will use it from nutritional supplements or drinking coffee, black tea, this is a purely individual decision for each athlete.

Video about the benefits and harms of coffee in bodybuilding:

Sport is movement, and movement is life. Everyone is familiar with this statement, and many know it firsthand, but from personal experience. Those who dedicate themselves to regular sports sometimes experience a lack of motivation for training. At such moments, a person is looking for external sources of stimulation to engage in classes and often resorts to coffee.

Benefits of coffee

Everyone knows that coffee is an awakening drink. It invigorates, energizes, makes you be more active, what else do you need before the upcoming workout!? But here you need to be aware of the effect of coffee on the human body during sports: is it useful or not. Let's start with the benefits of drinking coffee before training.

Coffee is rich in magnesium

Magnesium is a valuable mineral, especially useful for people who are actively involved in sports, because. it is a catalyst for many reactions that occur in the human body. With a lack of magnesium, all enzymatic processes in the body fall asleep, respectively, you will not be able to stay in a state of anabolism and build new muscle tissue.

Coffee increases efficiency, increases strength and endurance

In one study at the University of Athlete Training in the United States, scientists were able to prove that an athlete can increase their strength and power performance if they receive the right dose of caffeine before training. The study says that for a 90 kg strength lifter, this dose is on average 6-8 cups of coffee, but everyone is individual and is determined by the body's sensitivity to insulin. Scientists have also suggested that caffeine acts directly on the muscles (for greater strength and power), and not just in the context of the central nervous system.

Caffeine speeds up recovery and reduces muscle pain

Studies conducted at the University of Carolina with three control groups found that caffeine was able to increase resynthesis.

Scientists suggest that caffeine may improve muscle glycogen resynthesis after exercise and help burn fatty acids for fuel during exercise.

The three race walking groups were given drinks before the race:

The first group is coffee. /li>
The second group is carbohydrates.
The third group - placebo (nothing).

The results for non-stop walking were as follows:

The first group - 48 minutes (caffeine).
The second group - 32 minutes (carbohydrates).
The third group - 19 (placebo).

Increases the burning of subcutaneous fat

Coffee raises your metabolic rate so you burn more calories, which can help your body burn fat instead of glucose for energy. Coffee also regulates blood sugar levels and helps improve insulin sensitivity.

A study by the US Institute of Nutrition found that caffeine is an effective way to help with weight loss. In particular, a 22-week study on 16 overweight men showed that participants who took high concentrations of caffeine lost significant weight (27.5% of their weight) and thus returned to normal weight.

Increases reaction speed and increases motivation

Studies were conducted on football players who, due to the inability to sleep, lost concentration during training. Taking 4 mg of caffeine per 1 kg of body weight, football players improved their reaction speed, increased motivation and concentration in training, and their endurance was also noticeably improved.

Cons of coffee

We talked about the pros, but like a coin, caffeine has a downside.

A high concentration of caffeine in the body causes nervous exhaustion

Since coffee directly affects the central nervous system with an exciting effect and causes your nerve cells to be more active, they simply get tired of increased doses of caffeine.

Coffee is addictive

Indeed, there is such a term as “coffee addiction”, they talk about it like nicotine addiction, but of course it does much less harm. If you regularly load coffee before training, then during the period of refusal of caffeine, there may be a significant decline in motivation and endurance during training. Refusal of coffee will entail headaches and increased irritability, of course, this has a temporary effect (1-2 weeks).

Violation of the water balance

Coffee can cause an imbalance in water balance, and this is especially important during and after training. Coffee slows down the absorption of fluid from the intestines, which leads to dehydration and possible gastrointestinal disorders.

So, we have understood the pros and cons of drinking coffee before training, so now, starting a new sports day, listen to your body and weigh the pros and cons of saturating yourself with caffeine. We recommend that you drink coffee in the morning or two hours before training, and be sure to drink a glass (or better two) of drinking water after a cup of aromatic and invigorating coffee. Vivacity to you!

Caffeine- one of the most widely and regularly used natural biologically active compounds, known since ancient times. Caffeine got its name from one of the main sources of origin - coffee beans (coffee contains over 1000 components that can affect human health). Other still used names for caffeine (theine, mateine, guaranine) are derived from its other plant sources (tea leaves, mate grass, guarana fruit). From the point of view of chemistry, pharmacognosy and pharmacology, caffeine is a purine alkaloid, 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, found in tea leaves (about 2%), coffee seeds (1–2%), kola nuts and related simultaneously to two pharmacological groups: "Psychostimulants" and "Analeptics".

There are different views on the health benefits of caffeine consumption, all of which are supported by medical observations, from claims of "an endless variety of beneficial effects for the mind, body and spirit" to warnings about the dangers of consuming caffeine, which acts like classic drugs.

Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol make up the "legal triad" of psychoactive substances (SAS). Their use, with a certain limitation of the availability of the last two substances for certain groups of the population, is not prosecuted by law in Russia, Europe, the USA and other developed countries.

Caffeine is found in many foods and drinks: coffee, tea, cocoa-containing products (cocoa, dark and milk chocolate, chocolate milk, yogurt, cakes, sweets, etc.), mate, soda water (7-Up, Fanta, Tonic Water, Cola-containing drinks: Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola, Afri Cola, Coke Zero, etc.), some alcoholic drinks, dietary supplements, frozen desserts, chips, chewing gums, etc. caffeine-containing energy drinks (Red Bull, Adrenaline Rush, etc.) - “energy drinks”, “energy drinks”, “energy tonics”) and “energy shots” (“energy shots”).

As a medicine, caffeine is included in the List of vital and essential drugs of the Russian Federation (RF). The instructions for medical use of the drug caffeine-sodium benzoate (international non-proprietary name - caffeine) list the following indications: decreased mental and physical performance, drowsiness, headache of vascular origin (including migraine), moderate arterial hypotension, respiratory depression (including including mild poisoning with narcotic analgesics and hypnotic drugs, carbon monoxide, neonatal asphyxia), restoration of pulmonary ventilation after the use of general anesthesia, cilio-choroidal detachment in adults.

The State Register of Medicines of the Russian Federation contains 127 records of drugs (mostly combined) containing caffeine for the treatment of acute respiratory diseases, influenza, cough, migraine, convulsions, vomiting, and for improving cerebral and peripheral blood circulation.

In cosmetology, caffeine has found wide application as an active component for the treatment of cellulite, mesotherapy, in make-up products, to stimulate skin circulation and hair growth (shampoos, creams, dietary supplements). In addition, caffeine is used in sports medicine for weight loss and as a performance enhancing drug. 74% of elite-level athletes report taking caffeine prior to competition. During the competition period, the International Olympic Committee limits the use of caffeine by athletes, fixing its maximum permissible level in the urine - 12 μg / ml.

Contraindications for the medical use of sodium caffeine benzoate include: hypersensitivity (including to other xanthines), anxiety disorders (agoraphobia, panic disorders), organic diseases of the cardiovascular system (including acute myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis), paroxysmal tachycardia, frequent ventricular extrasystole, arterial hypertension, sleep disturbances, children under 12 years of age (for the treatment of fatigue, drowsiness), children under 18 years of age (for subconjunctival administration); with caution: glaucoma, irritability, old age, epilepsy and a tendency to convulsive seizures, pregnancy and lactation.

Main effect of caffeine- stimulation of the central nervous system (CNS). Consider the mechanism of this effect of caffeine in a simplified form. The main target of caffeine in physiologically significant concentrations are adenosine receptors - caffeine, showing affinity for the latter, blocks them for interaction with adenosine (it is generally accepted that caffeine is a competitive antagonist of adenosine, interacting with A1 and A2a receptors). The effect of adenosine itself in relation to the central nervous system is manifested through interaction with adenosine receptors of neurons and consists in slowing down (“inhibiting”) the release of mediators that transmit nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another. This is the calming ("inhibiting") effect of adenosine on the body (without the calming and controlling effects of adenosine, nerve cells continue to be rapidly excited). Thus, caffeine, by blocking the action of adenosine, has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system.

You can learn more about the mechanisms and effects of adenosine on the central nervous system by reading:

1. article "Adenosine and P1-purinergic receptors of the CNS" by Yu.V. Kiselevsky, N.A. Oganesyan, Grodno State Medical University (Journal of GSMU No. 1 - 2003) [read];

2. patent for an invention (Drug intended for the treatment or prevention of diseases associated with adenosine receptors associated with the A2a adenosine receptor) [read].

In addition to the above, caffeine also stabilizes transmission at dopaminergic synapses (psycho-stimulatory properties), at beta-adrenergic synapses in the hypothalamus and medulla oblongata (increased tone of the vasomotor center), at cholinergic synapses of the cortex (activation of cortical functions) and the medulla oblongata (excitation of the respiratory center) , in noradrenergic synapses (increased physical activity, anorexia).

Note! With prolonged use of caffeine, “new” adenosine receptors are formed in neurons and the effect of caffeine gradually decreases (as an adaptation to a decrease in adenosine receptors not blocked by caffeine). However, with a sudden cessation of caffeine administration, adenosine occupies all available receptors (including newly formed ones), which can lead to increased inhibition with symptoms of fatigue, drowsiness, depression, etc.

The results of epidemiological studies, obtained mainly from healthy adults, indicate a wide range of sensitivity to caffeine in the population, which may be associated with polymorphism of genes (see below) involved in the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of caffeine. Caffeine and especially its water-soluble salts after oral administration are rapidly and almost completely (99%) absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract (mainly in the intestines). The rate of absorption of caffeine increases with increasing dose, and there is no significant first pass effect. Caffeine absorption is not affected by gender, genetics, liver disease, food, drugs, including alcohol. After the introduction of a single oral dose of caffeine (4 mg / kg), the maximum concentration (Cmax) of caffeine is determined in the blood plasma after 15-45 minutes and lasts about 2 hours. When caffeine is consumed in doses of 1 to 2 mg / kg, its concentration in humans in the blood reaches values from 1 to 2 μg / ml, when using doses of 3 to 5 mg / kg, the concentration of caffeine in serum becomes 5 μg / ml. The achievement and retention of Cmax of caffeine after ingestion and intravenous administration of the drug are approximately the same.

It is believed that most regular caffeine users titrate their intake to maintain plasma levels of caffeine that maximize the positive effects (increased mental performance, accelerated reaction time, increased motor activity, reduced fatigue and sleepiness) and minimized the negative, opposite to those that initially causes caffeine (feeling tired, drowsy, headache, nausea, rarely vomiting, etc.), that is, associated with withdrawal symptoms. Recognition of the behavioral effects of caffeine (eg, increased cognition, alertness, reaction time) occurs as early as 10 mg doses in some subjects.

Depending on the variety and degree of processing of coffee beans, one cup of natural coffee contains from 60 to 120 mg of caffeine, and the same cup of instant coffee - from 40 to 80 mg. The lethal dose of caffeine is 10 g. This amount is contained in 100 cups of coffee.

Caffeine content in various foods:

Type of coffee - mg caffeine:

Type of tea - mg caffeine:

Variations in the amount of caffeine per cup of coffee or tea are very large, even if the drink is prepared by the same person, with the same equipment, recipe, ingredients, day after day.

Product - weight (g) - mg caffeine:

According to the American National Soft Drinks Association, a can of soda (~340ml) contains the following amount of caffeine (in milligrams):

Being a lipophilic substance, caffeine is rapidly distributed in all fluids and tissues of the body, easily penetrates the blood-brain barrier, placenta and other histohematological barriers, normally, without accumulating in tissues or organs. When a woman consumes caffeine during pregnancy, the concentration of caffeine in her blood and in the blood and tissues of the fetus are equalized. During lactation in a woman, caffeine is excreted in breast milk at a concentration of approximately 75% of the content in the mother's blood plasma, depending on the dose taken by her.

98% of caffeine undergoes biotransformation in the liver (demethylated, oxidized) with the formation of metabolites (paraxanthine, theobromine, theophylline, 1,3,7-trimethyluric acid, 1-methylxanthine, 1-methyluric acid, 5-acetylamino-6-formylamino-3- methyluracil, 1,7-dimethyluric acid). The main metabolite of caffeine in the human body (70 - 80%) is paraxanthine (1,7-dimethylxanthine).

The half-life (T1 / 2) of caffeine in healthy adult non-smokers is on average 4-5 hours, in pregnant women 10-20 hours, in full-term newborns - about 80 hours, in premature babies - 97.5 hours, in a child of 7 months of age reaches the values of an adult, in children 6-13 years old - 2.3 hours. Compared with caffeine, paraxanthine, theobromine and theophylline have a longer T1 / 2. Caffeine and its metabolites are excreted mainly by the kidneys, unchanged in adults about 1-3%, in newborns - about 85%.

The major caffeine-metabolizing enzymes are the cytochrome P450 1A2 isoenzyme (CYP1A2), N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), and xanthine oxidase (XO), whose activity can be determined by measuring levels of caffeine metabolites in the urine. In humans, the CYP1A2 enzyme is encoded by the CYP1A2 gene. The CYP1A2 gene is located on chromosome 15, locus 15q24.1. The expression and activity of CYP1A2 (and, accordingly, the sensitivity to caffeine and the volume of its consumption) can differ significantly (by 10–200 times) in different people, which reflects genetically determined differences in the constitutive and/or inducible expression of the CYP1A2 gene. About 10% of the general population are carriers of the gene with increased enzymatic activity, or "rapid" caffeine metabolizers, who are most likely to consume more than 400 mg of caffeine per day, while people with the CYP1A2 gene encoding normal activity are " "slow" caffeine metabolizers, and who typically consume less than 100 mg of caffeine per day.

Under the influence of various factors, the genetically determined activity of CYP1A2 can change, slowing down or accelerating the metabolism of caffeine. Induction of CYP1A2 activity has been described due to exposure to tobacco smoking, dietary factors (polyaromatic hydrocarbons produced by grilling meat), certain drugs (rifampicin, proton pump inhibitors), etc. Three cups of coffee daily have been shown to increase CYP1A2 activity, and therefore, individuals who abuse coffee intake have higher CYP1A2 activity compared to those who drink little coffee. In diseases with chronic hepatitis, an increase in CYP1A2 activity was noted, in cirrhosis - its decrease. Quinolone antibiotics, carbamazepine, isoniazid, alcohol, fluvoxamine, sertraline, paroxetine, grapefruit juice, ginger, cruciferous vegetables are inhibitors of CYP1A2 activity, as a result of their use, caffeine metabolism slows down, T1 / 2 of caffeine lengthens. A decrease in clearance (excretion from the body) of caffeine has been observed in women using oral contraceptives, in contrast to women not taking oral contraceptives.

caffeine and pain. Caffeine, as an adjuvant, is widely used in combined painkillers, for example, Caffetin, Coldrex, Plivalgin, Solpadein, Pentalgin, Sedalgin, Trimol, Citramon, Citropack, etc. (an agent that is added to a drug to improve its effect is called an adjuvant [auxiliary]). It has been established that caffeine in the composition of the combined preparation, influencing the lipoxygenase pathway for the conversion of arachidonic acid, contributes to a moderate increase in anti-inflammatory activity (and therefore contributes to a decrease in the severity of pain). In addition, the therapeutic effect of caffeine is due to the inhibition of phosphodiesterase, which inactivates the second messenger - cAMP. As a result, the concentration of calcium ions in smooth muscles changes, which is accompanied by the expansion of cerebral vessels.

Caffeine is often used in over-the-counter combination pain relievers. It is believed that the addition of caffeine to such widely used analgesics as paracetamol, ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid enhances the analgesic effect. However, the evidence to support this is limited and often based on inadequate comparative studies. However, the evidence to support this is limited and often based on inadequate comparative studies. In this regard, the authors of the new systematic review of the Cochrane Collaboration "Caffeine to enhance the action of analgesics in acute pain in adults" (Derry C.J. et al., 2012) evaluated the analgesic effect of the combination of analgesic + caffeine compared with that of the analgesic at the same dose in acute pain syndrome. As a result of a comprehensive search of published and unpublished results of relevant clinical trials, the authors identified and included in the systematic review data from 19 randomized double-blind clinical trials (7238 participants) of good methodological quality. Most of the studies used paracetamol or ibuprofen, and the dose of caffeine was 100-130 mg. The study involved patients with tension headache and migraine, pain after surgical dental interventions, episiotomy and childbirth, as well as with algomenorrhea, acute sore throat (tosillopharyngitis). The authors of the review used the number of patients who achieved at least 50% of the maximum possible reduction in pain within 4-6 hours, or rated the effectiveness of treatment as good or excellent, or noted the absence of headache after 2 hours, as the main estimates of the analgesic effectiveness of interventions. A pooled data analysis found a small but statistically significant increase in analgesic pain relief when caffeine was added at a dose of ≥100 mg (approximately the amount found in a cup of coffee). This effect did not depend on the pathological condition that caused the pain syndrome or the analgesic used. As a result of adding caffeine to the analgesic, a good level of analgesia (at least 50% of the maximum possible) was achieved in an additional 5-10% of participants; as a result, the NNT was about 15. In the context of this review, NNT (Number Needed to Treat) is the number of patients with acute pain who need to be treated with an analgesic + caffeine combination in order to achieve a good level of analgesia in 1 patient. Thus, the use of caffeine (≥100 mg) in combination with commonly used analgesics (paracetamol or ibuprofen) provides a small (5-10%) but significant increase in the proportion of patients with acute pain who can achieve a good level of analgesia (Derry C.J. , Derry S., Moore R.A. (2012) Caffeine as an analgesic adjuvant for acute pain in adults Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012, Issue 3 Art No.: CD009281 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009281.pub2).

It should be noted that caffeine has a complex, often opposite effect on the cardiovascular system. By stimulating the vasomotor center, caffeine increases vascular tone, and with a direct effect on vascular smooth muscle, it reduces their tone, which should lead to a decrease in blood pressure (BP). Thus, caffeine has an ambiguous effect on different vascular areas and on blood pressure, since it depends on the cardiotropic, central and direct vascular effects of the drug. For example, coronary vessels most often dilate due to a direct antispasmodic effect. At the same time, the cerebral vessels are somewhat toned. The latter seems to explain the beneficial effects of caffeine on migraines. Currently, there are only a few completed clinical studies that have studied the relationship between coffee consumption and changes in cerebral circulation. Yu.V. Bardik, E.A. Seredenko (1985) showed that under normal blood pressure, caffeine causes vasodilation of the brain. Intravenous administration of caffeine as a vasodilator has been successfully used in cerebrovascular accidents, occurring as angiospasms, thrombosis, and cerebrovascular insufficiency. However, some authors consider caffeine to be a vasoconstrictor effect on cerebral vessels, which largely explains the beneficial effect of caffeine in migraine.

more details in the article "The effect of caffeine on cerebral circulation" by I.V. Kozachuk, journal “Bulletin of the Tambov University. Series: natural and technical sciences, v.15, issue 1, 2010 [read]

Caffeine as a neuroprotective. It is well known that coffee temporarily speeds up thought processes. There are studies showing the long-term effect of coffee on mental activity. A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that patients with mild cognitive impairment and plasma caffeine levels > 1200 ng/mL (3 to 5 cups of coffee per day were allowed) did not progress to dementia for the next 2 to 4 years. Relevant studies in mice show that caffeine inhibits the enzymes involved in the formation of beta-amyloid, while coffee consumption increases the levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-10 and interleukin-6, and cytokines also contribute to the above-described properties. Caffeinated coffee has long been considered a neuroprotective treatment for Parkinson's disease, and current research suggests that changes in the GRIN2A gene, which codes for glutamate receptors, affect the risk of developing Parkinson's disease in coffee drinkers. In addition, data presented this year at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology showed that drinking 3 cups of coffee a day can prevent the formation of Lewy bodies, the preclinical pathological changes in Parkinson's disease. Despite encouraging results in neurodegenerative diseases, caffeine intake has also been associated with a reduced age at onset of Huntington's disease.

coffee as an antidepressant. A 2011 study shows that increasing coffee consumption can also be good for our mental health: Women who drank 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day had a 15% lower risk of developing depression compared to those who drank less than 1 cup per week. A 20% risk reduction was observed among those who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day. The short-term effect of coffee on mood may be related to changes in serotonin and dopamine activity, although the mechanisms underlying its possible long-term effect on mood are likely related to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which play a role in the development of depressive disorders. .

After all, as it happens - it seems that he ate normally and rested enough, but the training does not go. Lethargy, loss of strength, yawning, you don’t want to drag iron in principle. If desired, everything can be attributed to overtraining, biorhythms and even a solar eclipse. This also happens, but rarely. But the inability to prepare your body for training occurs all the time. Of course, you can buy a pre-workout complex and, charged with high-tech sports nutrition, rush to the gym. Or you can just drink a couple of cups of black coffee before meeting with iron. But in any case, caffeine in bodybuilding can be said "yes"! And there are four good reasons for this ... The most interesting thing about training and sports nutrition is on my telegram channel https://t.me/bestbodyblog

Introduction

To tune in to a workout in the gym, I used BSN for a long time, and I still remember it with great pleasure. But one day I read an interview with Branch Warren. This professional bodybuilder has always been famous for his hard workouts and exorbitant weights, and for his love of pumping his legs hard, he earned the affectionate nickname “Quadrosaurus”. So, he said that before going to the gym he always drinks several cups of black coffee.

So what, you ask? And the fact that Warren was under contract for a long time with a sports nutrition company called Muscletech. And under the terms of the contract, he had the opportunity to use any of its products and in any quantities for free. Including advanced pre-workout complexes produced by Muscletech. But before training, Warren preferred not to use sports nutrition, not caffeine tablets, but natural black coffee. Moreover, he was not too lazy to specifically go to a Colombian restaurant for this.

Many sports nutrition manufacturers claim that you can take caffeine to burn fat and quickly lose weight. Maybe the legendary Warren decided to lose weight like that?

This fact interested me, and I tried to learn more about coffee. And the first thing I found out was that caffeine is not only found in coffee, it can be found in other drinks as well.

If we talk about coffee varieties, studies show that the Robusta variety contains 2.2% of caffeine in coffee beans, and only 1.2% in Arabica coffee. Moreover, the bitterness of coffee does not affect the content of caffeine in it at all. In addition, black coffee without milk has a stronger invigorating effect, since milk significantly blocks the effect of caffeine.

But now let's get back to the topic of conversation and try to find out what the science says about caffeine in bodybuilding and its effect on muscle gain and weight loss. So:

1. Caffeine boosts performance

In 2012, a group of four American scientists conducted research, the results of which were published a little later in the journal Strength and Conditioning Research. The athletes who took part in this experiment were divided into two groups of 7 people each. One group took several pills caffeine sodium benzoate at a dosage of 150 mg an hour before training in the gym, the other was given a placebo. And as a result of this experiment, it was recorded that:

Those athletes who took caffeine tablets completed more (on average 2-3) than usual number of repetitions in exercises such as squats and deadlifts.
At the same time, they reduced (by 4.5%) the rest time between sets
We increased the total number (by 4-5) of the approaches performed per training in the exercises.

Scientists have stated that the use of caffeine in bodybuilding contributes to the process of blocking certain receptors in the central nervous system that are responsible for the onset of a feeling of fatigue.

Caffeine improves performance

Simply put, caffeine makes it possible to train longer and perform more work at the same time.

But I’ll add on my own that the effect of using caffeine in bodybuilding can be increased if you use it exclusively. If you drink coffee constantly, the body gets used to it and no longer gives the proper result.

2. Caffeine improves mental focus

People drink coffee at any time of the day, but the peak of its intake is in the morning. Coffee is a wonderful and all-natural way to wake up after waking up and get ready for the things ahead. The ability of coffee to stimulate our nervous system is due to its ability to block the work of various neurotransmitters that contribute to the relaxation process.

But the feeling of pleasure from a cup of coffee drunk is due to the fact that caffeine slows down the work of some substances, while enhancing the action of others. For example, such a neurotransmitter as dopamine, thereby causing a feeling of pleasure. And it turns out that, on the one hand, coffee increases concentration, helps to maintain a sense of focus during training, and on the other hand, it gives us pleasure.

Caffeine is a pleasure

But scientists, the enjoyment of coffee worried little, they were interested in how you can use the effect of concentration in sports and how much caffeine you need to take for this. And so, in 2015, the results of another study were published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. It turned out that:

Team sports such as baseball, basketball, and American football receive the greatest dividends from caffeine use.
Two cups (about 300 ml) of drunk black coffee have been called the optimal dose. If the amount of coffee drunk is increased, this can lead to the opposite, relaxing effect.

And again my "five cents". I, in my training process and when gaining muscle mass and when losing weight, I use “dense” training, consisting of 2-3 and even 4 exercises in a row. And with such a scheme, it is very important for me to maintain maximum concentration during the execution of all the exercises included in the series. The last one is so special.

Caffeine boosts concentration

And so I get as much benefit from the use of caffeine in bodybuilding as athletes in competitive sports.

3. Caffeine Reduces Post-Workout Muscle Soreness

As fans of bodybuilding, fitness, and other strength sports, we are often compared to masochists. We consciously go to the gym, knowing that then the whole body will hurt, and we will rejoice at the same time.

In general, delayed muscle pain syndrome (DOMS, scientifically) is experienced by representatives of all sports associated with progressive physical activity. But the strongest and most lasting effects of training are felt by gym visitors, since the number of injured muscle fibers in us is much higher than in other athletes.

But the same group of scientists that documented caffeine's performance boost in 2013 has released a new report that says caffeine reduces muscle soreness after exercise.

The researchers split a group of athletes into two, and one athlete was given caffeine sodium benzoate tablets before training in the gym, while the other was given a placebo. Both groups performed the same exercises in the same volume during the training. But those who exercised with pre-drank caffeine told scientists they experienced less pain than placebo.

Scientists explain this fact by the fact that caffeine reduces the activity of a substance such as adenosine. It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter responsible for the suppression of alertness. The peak of its activity falls on the period of injuries or heavy physical activity. By blocking its work, caffeine reduces the pain caused by this substance.

Caffeine reduces muscle pain after exercise

Thus, caffeine speeds up the “recovery” process after a workout and makes it possible to train more often.

For me, this talent of caffeine is especially important in the process of losing weight. At this time, I begin to train more often, using a special scheme. The usual scheme of three classes per week, which I use when gaining mass, is replaced by a five-day one. And at this stage, the magical properties of caffeine come in handy.

4. Caffeine speeds up recovery

Many people know that caffeine increases the effectiveness of the training process by stimulating the central nervous system. But scientists say that it also speeds up the recovery process after heavy physical exertion.

In 2010, the results of an interesting experiment were published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. The scientists who conducted these studies claimed that athletes who consumed caffeine after exercise along with fast carbohydrates had a 66% higher level of glycogen recovery in the body than their counterparts using only carbohydrates.

Why this happens, scientists could not answer, nodding to the insufficiently studied interaction of caffeine with insulin.

The idea has the right to exist, but I have not yet decided to try out a similar method of accelerated recovery. I go to the gym in the evenings, so drinking coffee, along with carbohydrates, will most likely mark a sleepless night for me. Although adherents of training in the morning, indeed after such a cocktail they can feel much more cheerful.

All of the above speaks of the undoubted benefits of using caffeine in bodybuilding. But here are the facts that make sense take caffeine to burn fat, scientists have not established. Caffeine has nothing to do with muscle growth or weight loss. You can take caffeine to burn fat, but it will not give a tangible effect.

It can help you train harder, more and more often. When used correctly, caffeine gives you the chance to squeeze a little more out of yourself, stepping over the edge of your usual “I can’t”.

But if you do not go to the gym and do not use a diet, caffeine from a "magic" supplement turns into an invigorating morning drink.

If we talk about the sources of caffeine used in bodybuilding, then each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Caffeine in sports nutrition.

Almost any sports supplement that claims to be a fat burner or pre-workout contains caffeine. True, there it is often called methylxanthine. It is obtained by industrial synthesis from uric acid.

The effectiveness of such additives is quite high, although, as I said earlier, take caffeine to burn fat there is no point. As a rule, in addition to caffeine, their composition also includes other CNS pathogens: green tea extract and guarana. Under the influence of such sports nutrition, you can really lose a couple of kilos by increasing sweating and increasing efficiency in training. If you really need to lose weight quickly and strongly, then you should choose from a completely different list. But caffeine, unfortunately, does not belong to them. Its function is to prepare the body for hard training.

The side effects of such sports supplements containing caffeine and similar substances completely duplicate the effects of an overdose of caffeine: tremors in the limbs, insomnia, heart palpitations, sweating, irritability. In addition to possible allergic reactions to various components of these supplements, their main disadvantage is their rather high price.

Caffeine tablets.Caffeine sodium benzoate

This preparation consists of two separate substances: synthetic caffeine and sodium benzoate, which improves its absorption. This is a drug and is sold in a pharmacy. Release caffeine sodium benzoate in tablets of 100 mg.

Caffeine sodium benzoate is prescribed for decreased physical activity, chronic fatigue and drowsiness. You need to take caffeine tablets in the same way as any other type of caffeine - immediately before training. Although doctors, prescribing the drug to ordinary patients, recommend taking caffeine tablets at a dosage of 0.5-1 tablet 2-3 times a day. But not less than 6 hours before bedtime. The side effects of caffeine sodium benzoate are exactly the same as those previously listed. The main reasons for the widespread use caffeine tablets in bodybuilding are its low price and wide availability.

Natural caffeine or coffee

Having tried both pre-workouts and caffeine tablets, I (like Branch Warren) settled on the most natural and natural form of caffeine - ground black coffee. Good coffee is not cheap, and you need to grind it shortly before brewing. But for me, every trip to the gym is a holiday. So I want to prepare for my workout with a couple of cups of coffee grown under the North African sun, not caffeine pills made in a chemical plant. Although, this is of course a personal matter. And in conclusion, I suggest watching a short video that talks about all the possible side effects from the use of caffeine.

I hope my story will be useful for you and will allow you to bring a little drive to your training process, given by a wonderful substance called caffeine. Be healthy!