How Caffeine Can Improve Sports Performance: The Science Behind the Stimulant

Caffeine is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive stimulant. It naturally occurs in dozens of plant species, including coffee, tea and cacoa.

Up until 2004 caffeine was a banned substance by the International Olympic Council and the World Anti Doping Association due to its performance enhancing effects.

Analysis of over 20,000 urine samples collected after official national and international competitions between 2004-2008 showed that 74% of athletes consumed caffeine prior to, or during, a sporting event. (Del Coso et al. 2011). The highest use among endurance athletes.

With the difference between winning and loosing a race often coming down to less than a 1% change in performance, it is no wonder that athletes look towards ergogenic aids such as caffeine to improve their performance.

How does it work on the body?

Improvement in sports performance appear strongest for endurance sports. 

Caffeine works by delaying central fatigue, through various mechanisms and influences ratings of perceived exertion, perceived pain and levels of vigour, all of which may lead to improvements in performance.

In a 2005 meta-analysis of 21 studies, Doherty and Smith found that participants rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was 5.6% lower after caffeine consumption compared to the control.

With serval studies and reviews showing a 2-4% improvement in endurance performance after consuming 3–6 mg/kg body mass of caffeine.

This improvement in endurance performance has been shown across a variety of different sports, such as running, swimming, cycling and xc skiing.

Many studies show a wide range of effectiveness and highlight that people respond differently to caffeine. A small percentage of us may even perform worse.

When Should I Consume Coffee for Maximum Benefits?

When caffeine is consumed it appears in the blood within minutes, and for beverages such as coffee it takes around 45-60min for it to reach peak concentrations.

A recent review found that the performance benefits of caffeine increased with the increasing duration of a time trial. So timing your caffeine intake towards the latter stage of the race when you’re most fatigued might be most beneficial.

What are Some of the Side Effects

As with any supplement, caffeine ingestion is also associated with certain side-effects. Tachycardia and heart palpitations, anxiety, headaches, insomnia and hindered sleep quality.

So if you don’t consume caffeine regularly then it might be worth consuming small doses in training to see how your body responds.