Effects of Caffeine on Sports Performance - Research Paper Example

Running head: Effects of Caffeine on Sports Performance Effects of Caffeine on Sports Performance Introduction Caffeine, a mild stimulant present in roots and stems of a number of plant species, is a member of methylxanthine family. The substance is present in seeds and leaves of these plant species. The plant species are approximately 63 in number. Caffeine comprises of the xanthine molecules. This stimulant is present in tea, sodas, among others. Additionally, the stimulant is present in products like the diuretics as well as pain relievers. Moreover, one can find caffeine in prescribed medications. There is a huge perception that the stimulant is an addictive kind of a drug. This is because people have used it widely. Furthermore, it is popular. These two factors have rendered caffeine an inexpensive substance. Some people use it to boost awareness and concentration. The stimulant also boosts other physical traits. Its effects vary depending on the amount consumed, the frequency as well as the metabolism of an individual. However, how does consumption of caffeine affect the performance of an athlete? Discussion Purpose of caffeine in athletics Caffeine can be of great benefit to an athlete. However, this differs from one athlete to another. Following previously done research, certain extent of caffeine consumption boosts both mental and physical performance of an athlete with fewer side effects. Various studies indicate that consuming the substance increases an individual’s endurance in various sports that a semi permanent stamina is highly required. Such sports include soccer and cycling. Running and racing are also some of the sporting activities whose members benefit from caffeine consumption. Caffeine boosts endurance in cyclists as well as the runners. It boosts performance time and power especially in rowers. It also betters the performance in running that persists for five minutes. Caffeine also boosts the top power output required in sprinting that takes a maximum of ten seconds. This also applies to power events. The substance also boosts hitting accuracy in a tennis match. It also boosts the speed as well as the agility in the sport. Studies show that there are high chances of success on tennis courts after consumption of some caffeine. They also show that those who took some caffeine prior to matches, felt energetic after matches (Bahrk and Yesalis, 2002). There was a research in which some athlete consumed caffeine and declined. Those who had consumed the substance prior to taking part in the exercise performed better as compared to those who failed to take the stimulant drug. Research shows that the substance has less effects on athletes who need quick energy burst, for instance, the swimmers and the sprinters. It also decreases fatigue. Fatigue plays a psychological and a physical role in an athlete’s performance (Armstrong, 2002). The manner in which caffeine works Theories are present to prove that caffeine has the ability to enable the body to burn fewer carbohydrates and more fats. The main fuel for the muscles is the glycogen, but the abundant resource that bodies employ for energy is the fat. When this stimulant enters the human body, it drives the working muscles in using the fats in the body, consequently, delaying the immediate glycogen depletion. Research clearly indicates that while exercising, in the initial 15 minutes the substance possesses the potential to cut down glycogen loss by almost fifty percent. When this occurs, there is employment of the saved glycogen in the entire sporting session in which there would have been a depletion of this starch (Spriet, 1995). Studies also show that caffeine boosts the release of Beta-endorphin that persists for almost 2 hours after some exercises. Endorphins are present in the human body in which they minimize pain feelings in the body. These compounds generated by the body also enhance the feelings of eudemonia. Caffeine stimulates endorphins discharge that correlates with reduction of pain in an athlete as well as exertion. This enables the athlete to keep on exercising and goes beyond the threshold for discomfort and pain. Caffeine aids the sports persons to undertake harder exercises and persist for a long time. Young people eyeing to be great athletes should start consuming caffeine as early as eleven years old for it to be beneficial to their bodies. Hydration is also a great concern among the athletes when it comes to their performances. Upon consumption of the substance, there is a minimization of fluid loss (Bahrk and Yesalis, 2002). There are several means of absorbing caffeine into a person’s body. One can administer the drug orally, via injections. Intramuscularly or subcutaneously is also a means of administering the substance. A person can also administer the stimulant substance by suppositories. Actions undertaken by this substance inside the body correlates appropriately with its levels. Excretion and the metabolism govern these levels. After oral administration, absorption of this substance takes place via gastrointestinal track. This happens with one-hundred percent bioavailability (Armstrong, 2002). There are theories of caffeine affecting the mental focus of the sports persons. Scientists have proven it as a stimulant substance to the athletes’ central nervous structure. Examples include the cortex and the medulla. The stimulant slows the substances that terminate neuronal firing. By this, it quickens various reactions. Moreover, it favors mental awareness. Due to its ability to quicken cells’ activities, it eliminates tiredness, boosts individual alertness. It also boosts the mood of an individual. Finally, it confers one to feel energized. Caffeine is also useful to the athletes who require quick thinking. The substance can also provide an enormous edge to those athletes who require rapid reactions. Studies show that the substance can arrive at the spinal cord even in huge doses. The substance fortifies muscle contractions. Through transferring calcium, potassium and sodium in various cells of the body, the permeability of the membrane grows. These reactions enable herculean muscle contractions (Armstrong, 2002). However, there are various side effects brought about by consumption of caffeine. Caffeine’s side effects There are several effects brought about by regular or moderate consumption of this substance. Researchers link the stimulant with emergence of some of the chronic diseases, for instance, heart diseases. Cancer is also a terminal illness accompanied by caffeine consumption. Research also shows that extensive consumption also cause high blood pressures. There has been conduction of wide research nowadays, and this has lain to rest the above beliefs (Bahrk and Yesalis, 2002). Currently, no research links caffeine consumption to cardiovascular disease. However, there are side effects posed by caffeine consumptions to athlete and regular persons. The effects consist of sleep deprivation and nausea. There are effects like the cramping and anxiety. Moreover, effects like fatigue and headache are also present in caffeine consumers. Finally, there are the gastrointestinal instabilities. In addition, for the athletes, the stimulant possesses disastrous consequences that can influence their performance. It also causes muscle cramping. Furthermore, dehydration effects also occur. The threats posed by these effects forces the athlete have a second thought before using the substance prior to a tournament. Scientists claim that if an athlete feels jittery or nervous, then the athlete had consumed a lot of caffeine. This is happens to be the case if the athlete’s heart rate rises prior to making to two miles in a single hour (Spriet, 1995). Diuretic effect The diuretic effects are major alterations that occur to the kidney. Extensive consumption of this substance causes an increase in the movement of the blood in the kidneys. It inhibits re-absorption of water. It also does so to sodium. Consumption of the substance makes the detrusor muscle that is present in the bladder, very weak. This provokes one to urinate. Such conditions are a problem to athletes who are indulging in some long-endurance activities. The combination of speedy arousal to urinate and some other aspects like dehydration and the abdominal cramping may prove detrimental especially to a jock. Nevertheless, some research indicates that diuretic effect pose no trouble to an athlete who decide to have minimal caffeine prior to undertaking some exercises (Spriet, 1995). Common sense and Caffeine Caffeine has separate effects on separate athletes. Some athletes are very sensitive to this substance and have to avoid it. Others go for a jumbo cup of its brew almost every day. Logically, one has to use the trial and error method to establish his or her limits. This helps an athlete to realize the quantity of caffeine consumption that would benefit his or her body, if any. Perhaps, extensive sleeping can act as a good energizer for various athletes who are of low-energy (Bahrk and Yesalis, 2002). Tips for a caffeine-user athlete In almost all instances, the doctors are against the usage of this stimulant substance in athletics. For the few athletes who think that the substance can boost their performance in sports, here are some tips for them in their quest for utilizing their total potential. The prescribed duration to consume the stimulant is approximately 3-4 days prior to matches. The duration allows some tolerance degree of caffeine to decrease. This makes body of the athlete susceptible to the stimulant when consumed. It is advisable for the athletes to realize their limits as far as consumption of this substance is concerned (Spriet, 1995). The athletes, who have never consumed caffeine to enhance their sporting performance, are less familiar with the effects posed by the substance in their bodies. The athletes should consume some caffeine in their training sessions in order to understand their limits. Studies show that it is important for athletes to ingest some caffeine some few moments prior to competitions in order to boost their performance. The studies also indicate that it requires some hours for the caffeine to exploit fat usage in the body. This guarantees storage of glycogen that ensures endurance. All the above tips are useful in ensuring caffeine consumption is of much help to the body (Armstrong, 2002). Tolerance, withdrawal as well as the strategy of using caffeine The timing and the dosage are great issues to consider. Athletes should consider withdrawals as well as the tolerance symptoms. For a fresh user of caffeine, he or she would experience obtrusive buzz or to an extent jolt in initial stages of their consumption of a reasonable dose. However, if the athlete continues taking similar amount over six days, stimulant effects would be minimal. The reason behind this is that the athlete has developed a tolerance. Another term for this is diminishing responses. The cause for this is repeated doses (Bahrk and Yesalis, 2002). Apart from tolerance, there is the withdrawal. Once an athlete develops the habit of taking the substance regularly, there would be withdrawal symptoms in case the person decides to quit the habit. These symptoms constitute bad headache, detrimental effect on the performance of an athlete. However, these symptoms fade away after a week of caffeine abstinence. If one resumes consumption in the middle of the withdrawal period, one experiences some headache although does not persist for long (Spriet, 1995). Caffeine sources Most people regard coffee as the main source of caffeine. Nonetheless, coffee may end up not being the appropriate source of boosting performance of athletes. No one is sure of the quantity of the substance a person may obtain from a mug of java. Preparations methods and inherent variability especially in coffee sources present this reason. In addition to this, there are possibilities of finding some other forces in the coffee that might antagonize the effects of increasing the performance of athletes (Armstrong, 2002). In a certain study in which there was engagement of some runners, an increase in endurance duration was evident for the athletes who consumed a standard caffeine dose. However, those who consumed some amounts of coffee experience less endurance time. There are caffeinated energy beverages and the cola drinks present in aid stations in running arenas. These drinks present in these triathlons contain uniform caffeine dosage that is also much dependable in sporting activities. This ensures that an athlete gets the right caffeine dosage. However, some of these gels present in running arenas might pose a great risk to athletes’ health since the manufacturers do not indicate the amount of caffeine present in the drink (Bahrk and Yesalis, 2002). Scientists advise people especially the athletes that, if one is possessed to a certain drink but have less information concerning the amount of caffeine in it, he or she should seek information about it on the internet or any other reliable source since the manufacturers are not obliged to tag the level of caffeine in their drinks. Some energy gels as well as energy chews possess less amount of caffeine and help one meet his or her caffeine load moments prior to an exercise. Athletes prefer caffeinated gels and the Red Bull to coffee, since coffee contains variable caffeine quantities. Scientists consider a moderate consumption to be around two-fifty milligrams per day. Athletes should consume an average of 225 to 500 milligrams of caffeine moments prior to any exercise. Athletes should go for those products that have labels indicating caffeine quantities in the drink. Some products have calories in them. However, these calories are not good for athletes (Spriet, 1995). Conclusion Studies indicate that minimal consumption may boost the physical endurance of an athlete and make him or her compete successfully. However, it leads to several side effects and the athletes should take some precautions. Caffeine consumption for a short while poses minimal problems to athletes. Several sources support the above statements, but the consensus is for the athlete to reduce caffeine consumption. The International Olympic Committee prohibits consumption of caffeine and declares it an illegal substance. Additionally, it has several potential consequences that may affect and individual’s lifestyle. It would be advisable for every person to empathize his or her limitation of the substance prior to getting into habitual use. This applies mostly to the athletes. Several factors determine the extent of the effects of caffeine consumption in an individual. People should consider the previously discussed factors, such as the metabolism of an individual prior to consumption of caffeine in any sporting activity. References Spriet, L. L (1995). Caffeine and Performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition, 5(2), S84. Armstrong, L. E. (2002) Caffeine, Body Fluid-Electrolyte Balance, and Exercise Performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 12(2), 189-206. Bahrke, M. S., & Yesalis, C. (2002). Performance-enhancing substances in sport and exercise. 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