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WHAT IS CAFFEINE? Caffeine is one of the most heavily researched and beneficial ergogenic aids available. It is mostly consumed in coffee, with 1 cup containing around 75mg of caffeine. The understanding of the performance effect has increased and this has widened its use. Most people know that it may improve performance, but what does it actually do and how can we make the most of caffeine? WHY SHOULD YOU USE CAFFEINE? Caffeine acts centrally on the brain to lower the perception of effort, which is particularly noticeable in longer events such as running or cycling. In distance events over 90 minutes, mental tiredness as well as physical fatigue plays a large role in determining performance as the event progresses. Caffeine can help to maintain physical performance in this situation. Performance benefits are well documented to occur in the dose of 2-6 mg/kg body mass. You should note, however, that caffeine in excess of 6 mg/kg has been shown to be detrimental to performance so it is definitely not a case of more is better. In fact, “more” will not only impair your performance but can also be dangerous to health. Based on the dosing strategy above, this would equate to...