I am new to this blog and I am curious to know if anyone out there uses caffeine pills and if there is any benefit to them. Can you actually see a difference in your training? Does weight come off? I am talking about legal pills like Ripped Fuel and Hyrdoxcut.
What are the pros? What are the cons? Does your body get used to them?
Test results show they are the most effective form of caffeine. How your body handles is exclusive to your sensativity to caffeine. Keau
Ultimately the effects of caffenine on your body should contribute to extra traning hours which is extra calories out.
Caffeine blocks your ADH receptor in your hypothalamus which regulates your renal system (keep hydrated).
Note: I am caffenine dependent, I can handle coffee much better than pills or energy drinks throughout the day, although redbull does give me the most focus.
Good luck, Keau
Thanks. So do you take anything like Ripped Fuel?
i take no-doze or stay-awake branded 200mg caffeine tabs for some shorter races. I’m only taking 200mg (one tab) before a sprint or maybe 1 tab 15min into the bike on an olympic. They seem to work well I guess, honestly not sure they do anything at all but I have had some pretty good races on them. You’d want to play around with them in training though as I’ve found they last and hour fifteen maybe an hour thirty and then I come down HARD. Passed out a race 1/4 mile from the finish while in 2nd place when I first started using them… Based on my bodyweight I think I’m still quite a bit below the reccomended dosage per kg of body weight but I’m a bit sketched to try much more. I train with caffeinated gel quite often btw, drink coffee or coke maybe once every other day. 155lbs or so generally.
I use generic 200mg caffeine tabs. (My latest batch is from Rite Aid.) I take them with me on long hard rides in case I feel like I’m going to bonk. I rarely take one, but I took a half of one at the midway point of the run in my last HIM. I mix my electrolyte drinks with green chai tea. And, I have coffee (preferrably espresso) before workouts and races.
I used 200mg caffeine tablets in both of the IM’s I’ve done, but never in training (except once to test prior to the IM). The first time was at mile 14 of the run, the second, I took one at mile 8, and another at mile 16. The difference was amazing. I felt like my whole mood lifted. That said, they do wear off for me in a bit under an hour. When I started at mile 8 in the second IM, I found that near the end, the second pill made no difference, and I was really in bad shape when it wore off.
I certainly wouldn’t use them in training. In fact, when I used them to race, I’d abstain from all caffeine two weeks prior to make sure I was fully sensitized.
I’m a strong believer in the benefits, but be careful-it does pick your heart rate up a bit, and I can imagine that if you were really going downhill, by taking them, you might be able to put yourself a little beyond the place where it was safe to continue racing.
My 2 cents.
Stan
I kind of have an addiction to NoDoz…started with taking Excedrin a long time ago. The NoDoz is amazing stuff…I popped one last night before Masters swim because I was feeling tired and flat. I was able to hang with the fast guys the whole time and felt like I could have gone more.
I’ve taken No Doz caffeine pills in long-distance races and they really seemed to have little effect. I’ve taken a few while driving all night long and they helped there. But I’ve never taken them for the weight-loss effect that you are talking about.