Using caffeine / caffeine powder can be part of an active lifestyle and a healthy balanced diet. Taking caffeine provides many positive effects: it improves physical and mental performance and increases your energy and fat burning. Because of its many positive effects and popularity, it is one of the most researched nutrients and the most widely used stimulant worldwide. This stimulant does not only offer benefits for athletes, but also has other positive and beneficial effects. Taking caffeine reduces the risk of heart and liver diseases [1] [2], slows the progression of Parkinson’s [3] Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias [4].
Functions and properties of caffeine
Many studies have shown that caffeine improves your mood, focus and alertness. In addition, it increases your pain threshold and your energy while it also increases fat burning [5]. Several studies have shown that it can improve physical performance in many sports while increasing your endurance and reducing fatigue [6].
- Research has shown that this stimulant has significantly improved endurance in time trials [6].
- Consumption has also been shown to increase muscular endurance [7].
- The use of caffeine has a positive influence on power production. The research has shown that caffeine causes an increase in the maximum number of repetitions, an increase in the maximum weight and an increased production of strength [7] [8].
- Caffeine has also been shown to increase the rate of fatty acid oxidation in our bodies, causing us to burn more fat [9].
As mentioned before, caffeine causes an increase of dopamine and adrenaline. In addition, it also stimulates our central nervous system, which provides positive effects such as increasing our pain threshold. This allows you to train even harder and without getting tired [10].
How caffeine works
The effect of caffeine has been extensively investigated. Drowsiness occurs because adenosine binds to adenosine receptors in the brain. As a result, nerve cell activity is slowed down and we become drowsy. The production of adenosine is not strange, since it is produced when we do daily activities, it is produced faster when we are exercising.
Caffeine is very interesting since a nerve cell sees caffeine as adenosine. As a result, caffeine starts to bind to adenosine receptors. Because of this binding, the cells can no longer detect adenosine, which results in accelerated cell activity instead of slowing it down.
Caffeine powder use
When caffeine powder is used as pre-workout or fatburner, doses of 200-300mg are often used. Approximately 250mg is present in most pre-workout supplements. There is no clear optimal time when you should take it before exercise. The optimal time varies per person, and is usually between 15-60 minutes. We add a 85mg scoop to every order.
Caffeine powder or tablets
Many people can’t decide if they should use caffeine powder or tablets. The costs of powder are considerably lower and allows users to dose very accurately. However, tablets are easier to use.
References
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17284734[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20034049
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10819950
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20448305
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18057405
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19077738
[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20019636
[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19924012
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20181066
[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17161977
bill k –
Cheap and good, but isn’t as good as AMP citrate or DMHA