I have been doing some reading lately on how to use caffeine properly before a race. The one area I have found a lot of conflicting information seems to be in whether or not you need to cut back before using it to get the most benefits. After reading about 15 or so articles there are basically three trains of thought.
Cut back for about a week before the race or benefits will be almost zero if you are a habitual user
Makes no difference regardless of caffeine source. Theory is that you get used to some benefits of caffeine but not the ones that affect performance. Go ahead and drink coffee everyday.
It depends on caffeine source. Coffee will result reduced benefits if used frequently. Other sources such as pills will have a lasting effect despite use.
Looking for something based in actual science rather than articles that simply quote others or guess. I would love to keep drinking my morning brew if that data supports that it wont take away the little boost you can get.
I have been doing some reading lately on how to use caffeine properly before a race. The one area I have found a lot of conflicting information seems to be in whether or not you need to cut back before using it to get the most benefits. After reading about 15 or so articles there are basically three trains of thought.
Cut back for about a week before the race or benefits will be almost zero if you are a habitual user
Makes no difference regardless of caffeine source. Theory is that you get used to some benefits of caffeine but not the ones that affect performance. Go ahead and drink coffee everyday.
It depends on caffeine source. Coffee will result reduced benefits if used frequently. Other sources such as pills will have a lasting effect despite use.
Looking for something based in actual science rather than articles that simply quote others or guess. I would love to keep drinking my morning brew if that data supports that it wont take away the little boost you can get.
To answer my own question and to provide some information in case others have an interest.
HABITUAL CAFFEINE CONSUMPTION
As reviewed by Graham et al. (1994), several recent studies suggest that chronic caffeine use dampens the EPI response to exercise and to caffeine but does not affect indirect markers of fat metabolism during exercise (Bangsbo et al., 1992; Van Soeren et al., 1993). However, these changes do not appear to dampen the ergogenic effect of 9 mg/kg caffeine. Endurance performance increased in all subjects in two studies in which both users and non-users of caffeine were examined; users abstained from caffeine for 48-72 h prior to experiments (Graham & Spriet, 1991; Spriet et al., 1992). However, the performance results were more variable in a subsequent study with more non-users (Graham & Spriet, 1995). In addition, Van Soeren et al. (1993) recently reported that prior caffeine withdrawal for up to 4 d did not affect exercise induced changes in hormones and metabolism in subjects who acutely ingested caffeine doses of 6 or 9 mg/kg. Performance times in the recreational cyclists riding to exhaustion at 80-85% VO2max were improved by caffeine, and this was unaffected by 0-4 d of caffeine withdrawal.
I find that when I’m really tired from a big training load, caffeine helps me get through the work day, but I don’t feel as big of an effect as when I’m tapered and rested. When I’m rested, just one big cup will make me just jumping to start the race. When I’m really tired, that one big cup just helps me barely keep my eyes open, and even drinking continually during the office day is no guarantee of not nodding off. Don’t know if this is of any value to you or not, but this has been my experience:)
I’m thinking of trying chocolate covered espresso beans for the caffeine. I drink a lot of coffee and don’t feel anything at all with caffeinated gels. For what it’s worth, I’ll put the beans in a bento box for training and my upcoming race is UltraMan Canada so I’ll have a crew to work with all day long.
This article from Fitzgerald might help. I drink two cups a day. Three weeks prior to a race, I take it down to one. Two weeks out, I go to half caff/half decaf, and then none for the week prior. For the time I am “tapering” coffee, I substitute decaf for the afternoon cup. This works pretty well for me. I have found just quitting cold turkey for a week or so prior is too traumatic (headaches, etc.) On race day, I have a cup of coffee two hours prior and then use caffeinated gels (keeping an eye on total intake, which is obviously determined and practiced beforehand) during the race.
edit: oops - reread the op and you didn’t want articles. Sorry about that. There is research cited in the article, as Fitzgerald normally does.
My personal experience is that I will use about 0.5mg/kg plenty during training to get me moving for pre dawn out of bed runs (for me that is a coke for instance). For big efforts, like races or race rehearsal days, I go up to the 6 or 7 mg/kg (two caffeine pills one hour befor the gun). the effect is always noticeable, no matter if I was using caffeine some prior or not.
That stated, when I really want the big boost (like a races), I always cut out that pre dawn caffeine in training for a week or two prior.
I don’t know if I MUST cut it out to get the best benefit, I just know that I have and it has worked for me.
having cut most sources of caffeine from my diet, i can say that if i popped 9mg/kg i’d be in the ER for either severe case of SVT or from crashing on side of road due to becoming too dizzy. i tried taking one 200mg pill a couple of time with same result. hr reved way too high and dizzy with a bad performance as a result. this is all annecdotal, and after a few weeks being caffeine free, i did not notice any difference from when i was a steady daily caffeine user
I can’t remember the studies but I’m fairly confident that #1 is basically correct and #3 has some validity to it, whereas #2 may not be that true. Think about alcohol consumption and metabolism. The more you drink, the more your tolerance goes up, yeah? But some sources of alcohol–e.g. absinthe, as an extreme case–are much more difficult to metabolize than others–clear liquors like vodka. Same principle goes for caffeine and its sources.
Also remember that caffeine response is highly variable across individuals–and this is a scientific fact, no matter which studies you look at. It could be that #1 is true for most people, but there are many people for whom #2 or #3 is true. I’d recommend experimenting yourself rather than going strictly by the theories that are being bandied about.
Great question! I stopped having caffeine on a regular basis more than eight years ago. When it comes to racing the effect it has on me is like having not one but two extra gears - not kidding. I’ve noticed this accidentally after I had an expresso one afternoon 1 1/2 hours before my masters swim practice. It was during a period when I was training 14-15h / week and was constantly on the brink of falling asleep at work every day Anyway, I noticed a huge change in perceived exertion… it almost felt like I wasn’t doing much while swimming harder than normal. I began experimenting with dosage and timing over the course of the next few races and tried caffeine pills, actual coffee etc… and what I found that worked best is plain old powergel (2x caffeine) tangerine flavor.
For short course I do this: Sprints - 1 gel 20 min before swim start, 2 gels on the bike dissolved in 20oz water in my aero bottle; Olympic, 3 gels on the bike dissolved in 30oz water in my Torhans. The idea is to gradually take in caffeine during that 1h hour window before the start of the run. It comes to 150mg which is the equivalent of a cup of coffee.
I PR’ed my standalone 10k and 5k times by 2 minutes off the bike using this approach, it’s crazy… The key is probably going totally off caffeine the rest of the time. Most people say they can’t live without that morning coffee but I bet everyone would be fine after a 5 day break, it’s just like quitting smoking or going on a diet etc…
Anyway, this is my experience… it may not work for everyone or it could work differently with other dosage and timing. You need to experiment with this stuff.
Personally, I consume 4 Monster Energy drinks per day, plus a Diet Coke or two Oma daily basis. Come race morning,I do my usual routine of Monster Energy drink when I wake, and one as I set up in T1. However, I will slam a 5-Hour Energy shot an hour before start time, along with a GU Roctane 30 minutes before go time.
IMO…you shouldn’t change your normal daily routine in lead up to a race. Just do what works for you during your training.
Anyway, I noticed a huge change in perceived exertion… it almost felt like I wasn’t doing much while swimming harder than normal. I began experimenting with dosage and timing over the course of the next few races and tried caffeine pills, actual coffee etc… and what I found that worked best is plain old powergel (2x caffeine) tangerine flavor.