OUR caffeine it is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world and one of the most studied. Scientists are studying its effect on kinds of sports and exercise since the 1900s. Although there is still some controversy over the exact mechanism by which caffeine intake affects exercise performance, and whether abstaining from it until race day is beneficial, scientists agree that a cup of coffee before exercising can improve your performance whether you’re competing or just running around.

Where is it beneficial?

There is a consensus among scientists that caffeine provides an exercise benefit, whether it’s a marathon, weightlifting or football, said Nancy Guest, a nutritionist, trainer and researcher at the University of Toronto, who conducted a major 2021 study on caffeine and exercise. . Whether caffeine is consumed with coffee, a sports supplement, or an energy drink, caffeine tends to increase performance by an average of 2-5%. While caffeine slightly improves anaerobic exercise (intense exercise of shorter duration) such as weight lifting and sprinting, it appears to be of greater benefit in aerobic exercise (less intense exercise of longer duration) such as swimming, cycling and jogging.

For example, a 2020 analysis found that rowers improved their 2,000-meter rowing time by about four seconds after consuming caffeine. This response to caffeine varies from person to person, depending on factors such as gender, hormonal activity, and even diet. Some see a performance improvement of over 5%, while others experience little to no improvement.

How it works

Caffeine’s effect on our nervous system starts with adenosine, a neurotransmitter that binds to specific receptors and makes us sleepy. Caffeine binds to the same receptors, preventing adenosine from working.

“When caffeine blocks this receptor, there is a stimulating effect,” said Dr. Guest. This, in turn, releases other hormones, such as dopamine and adrenaline, which are associated with mood, concentration, and alertness.

Some studies have shown that caffeine also helps our muscles produce more strength. Our body needs calcium to initiate muscle contractions, and caffeine helps mobilize calcium ions to interact more with the filaments that cause muscle fibers to contract.

“Caffeine increases the ability of muscles to contract at a faster rate, so it can potentially generate more force,” adds Dr. Guest.

Placebo effect

Other research shows that another powerful force is at work: the placebo effect. If we expect caffeine to help us perform better, that might be enough. In one small study, sprint athletes performed just as well with caffeine as they did with placebo when they were told they had received caffeine. When athletes learned that they had been given a virtual dose of caffeine, they ran slower, even if they were actually given caffeine.

For people who are not professional athletes, the positive effects of caffeine may have more to do with their decision to go to the gym than their best performance there.