Have you tried our best-selling Prefuel Pre-Workout performance powder. It's sugar-free, gluten-free, and GMO-free. However, it's not caffeine-free. In fact, it contains a total of 110 mg of caffeine per 10 g serving. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Well, caffeine is definitely an athletic performance booster! If taken about 1 hour before exercise, it can help you perform a bit faster or with more intensity. It does this by making it easier for your muscles to burn fat and by increasing your altertness. When the brain is alert, you experience less fatigue and exercise doesn't feel as tiring.
However, for the longest time, athletes and scientists alike have thought that any performance boost from caffeine is realized only if an athlete abstains from caffeine all other days except the day of a big performance event. For this reason, some recommend going off caffeine for a week or even more so as not to "build up a tolerance" to it.
A new myth-busting study clarifies, however, that habitual caffeine intake does not influence the body's performance response to caffeine. In other words, if you still need that cup o' joe (or tea with caffeine) to jump-start your day, don't worry - it won't take away from its promised performance buzz.
Researchers saw a 2-3% performance boost in cyclists regardless of whether they were light, moderate, or heavy caffeine users.
Don't Overdo It
While it's true that caffeine can aid performance, it's important to stay within safe limits. Large doses of caffeine can bring unwanted or even dangerous side effects.
When doses are too large, adverse effects such as jitters, increased heart rate, upset stomach, or even performance impairment can occur.
Most consider moderate caffeine intake to be under 300 mg of total caffeine per day (or about 6 mg caffeine per kg of body weight).
Bottom Line
If you've got some caffeine in your pre-race, pre-workout, or pre-training drink, it won't hurt and it just might help.
References
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017 May 11:jap.00260.2017. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00260.2017.
J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2010 Jan 27;7(1):5. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-7-5.
PLoS One. 2013; 8(4): e59561.