8 new tips when taking caffeine

Nov 24, 2014

by 226ERS #FeedYourDreams

Dr. José Antonio Villegas, Doctor of Medicine, Professor and Specialist in Sports Medicine, illustrates us about the origin of caffeine and its use in sports.

Caffeine is an alkaloid compound of the Xantinas group (they are alkaloids since they are Physiologically active substances contain nitrogen and are found in plants). From the medical and pharmacological point of view there are three xanthines of importance: caffeine, theobromine and theophylline that are the three, xanthines methylated by what are also known as methylxantines. Caffeine is present in several plants as in the coffee and cocoa grains, tea leaves, Guaraná berries and the cola nut. In our culture it is used as a stimulant, since it exerts an action as an adenosine antagonist (chemical generated by our body that acts by modulating the state of vigil and sleep). Caffeine blocks specific adenosine receptors present in nerve tissue, and in particular in the brain, keeping us awake. However, in sport it has other uses derived from its action on catecholamine levels, increasing lipolysis and oxidation of exogenous carbohydrates, Possibly increasing intestinal absorption of glucose. These actions are important in substantive sports, in fact, from Costill studies at the end of the seventies, caffeine in doses of between 6 and 9 mg/kg seems that It exerts an ergogenic effect both in long -term and anaerobic efforts (although in these it is not uniformly accepted). Substance use protocols containing caffeine between 1.5 and 6 mg/kg seem to indicate an ergogenic effect, at least in various studies.

The way of ingesting it is to take it an hour before exercise or in doses distributed during the effort itself.

Many athletes have coffee before competition because it helps them. Some take two or three cups because they have heard of caffeine as a stimulant. Other athletes do not dare to have a coffee because they are not sure that it is inside the prohibited substances. Finally, there are athletes who take caffeine in large doses in tablets.

8 important issues to be taken into account before using caffeine

1. The caffeine reaches the bloodstream at 30-45 minutes of its consumption.

Next, it is distributed by the water of the entire organism, to later be metabolized and expelled in the urine. The half -life of caffeine inside the body is 4 hours (the calculations range between 2 and 10 hours).

2. Middle Coffee Concentration for Beverages

The average caffeine content for 150 ml (1 cup) of ground roasted coffee is around 85 mg; of instant coffee, is 60 mg; of the decaffeinated coffee, 3 mg; of tea in leaves or in bag, 30 mg; of instant tea, 20 mg, and cocoa or hot chocolate, is 4 mg. A glass (200 ml) of Coffee with caffeine has between 20 and 60 mg of caffeine.

3. Mitigate its side effects

The appearance of undesirable side effects after caffeine intake (600 mg in a dose) at the level of blood lipids, can be minimized by repeated shots of small doses, but loses its ergogenic effect.

4. Caffeine in Café vs. Caffeine in pills

The caffeine that contains traditional coffee is inhibited in its lipolytic action by some other coffee substance, so it is not as active as caffeine in pills.

5.- Caffeine cancels the ergogenic effects of creatine

When they are administered jointly, the first in dose of 2.5 mg per kg of weight and the second in the usual way, that is, 25 g per day., In addition to reducing the muscle relaxation time.

6.- It can produce dependence

It always generates tolerance, the effects decrease with continued intake and the dose must be raised.

7.- As a diuretic substance it can be dangerous

In conditions of difficult thermoregulation, in addition, its use in athletes with reflux and hyperacidity can be counterproductive.

8.- His consideration as a prohibited substance has suffered different avatars.

According to the resolution of December 23, 2010, of the Presidency of the Higher Sports Council, which approves the list of substances and methods prohibited in sport, Caffeine is not considered a prohibited substance

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