Caffeine is a permitted ergogenic substance (performance-enhancing substance) that has had plenty of scientific backing over the past 20 years regarding its effectiveness. It has numerous effects on the body such as metabolic, muscular and stimulating.
According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (the governing body that scientifically grades nutritional substances), caffeine reaches a scientific ‘A’ level on the grading list where it has maintained a position over the past 10 years.
Recent research continues to evaluate this substance, especially its effect in endurance sports. In order to get the most out of this substance, it is important to use it according to adequate guidelines and according to your own personal limits with caffeine. As a result, doubts always crop up. How much caffeine should I take for it to be effective? Is there a limit? What are the best sources of caffeine? How much should I consume? How long does its effect last?
Firstly, it is important to consider the quantity and timing. On average, 3-6mg of caffeine per kg of body weight should be consumed roughly every 30-45’ from the moment you want it to take effect, with its peak effect lasting up to 60’ due to its long half-life (6hours). During this time, caffeine continues to take effect in our body. High doses of caffeine (e.g. > 6 mg/kg) have now been discarded and now a 3mg/kg dose, or even less, is recommended with its ergogenic effect still taking place.
However, each individual should always take into account their own personal experience when using caffeine and athletes not accustomed to using it should consume it in low quantities.
Many forms of caffeine are available on the market such as coffee, tea, chocolate; medication; and gels such as 226ERS Energy Gels BIO. However high-quality sources of caffeine are hard to find in products, particularly products that only contain caffeine.
That is why 226ERS are launching CAFFEINE EXPRESS 100mg caffeine capsules that are precisely that – capsules filled with pure caffeine (anhydrous) and providing a much stronger kick than a normal cup of coffee.
The following shows the interesting characteristics that this product contains:
- Quantified caffeine – unlike with other sources of caffeine such as food supplements or drinks, CAFFEINE EXPRESS 100mg allows the exact quantity of consumed caffeine to be correctly quantified, leading to more precision when planning a dose of caffeine.
- Dosage – each capsule contains 100mg of caffeine with the total amount of recommended caffeine ingestion being reached with the consumption of 2-3 capsules. Its results could be striking where the entire maximum dose is consumed in a race that is under 2h; or where a planned second and third dose is consumed in a long distance event.
- Combination with other products – 226ERS ENERGY GELS BIO or SUB-9 PRO SALTS ELECTROLYTES containing sodium and caffeine are good to combine with the CAFFEINE EXPRESS 100mg capsules in order to meet your caffeine needs during a race (3-6mg/kg of weight).
- Easy to carry – they are easy to carry and access during sporting events or even to have by your side when symptoms of fatigue start to appear.
CAFFEINE EXPRESS 100mg is a new format provided by 226ERS in order to adapt to every kind of necessity and be able to combine with other products offered by the brand.
It is important to remember that, aside from the numerous scientific studies conducted, each person reacts differently to the use of caffeine, therefore it is important to follow strict consumption when planning a race or even to follow a varied method of consumption depending on the event. The most basic reference to follow is to try it yourself and figure out what method of consumption works best for you.
Choose your caffeine sources (capsules or gels) wisely. 226ERS CAFFEINE EXPRESS 100mg will not disappoint.
Guillermo Olcina
Director of Endurance Research Lab, 226ERS
Doctor in Sport Science
Sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11583104
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28872376
- https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-7-5
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25355191
