It excites, acts as a pick-me-up or stimulant, yet it is not recommended for athletes. Coffee enjoys an energizing image, whereas it tends to be a disservice to performance.
Just like most of us, athletes often turn to caffeine to boost athletic performance. However, a new study, published in the review Human Kinetics Journalssuggests that consuming caffeine, even in their spare time, is of great disservice to athletes.
Caffeine’s claimed benefits for improving athletic performance fall apart when they need it most. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system to reduce fatigue and drowsiness. It can also improve performance during exercise.
Research has also shown that it improves endurance while increasing muscle strength. However, regular consumption of caffeine can desensitize athletes to its positive effects.
To win, decrease the coffee
The study shows that male athletes who consumed caffeine on a regular basis saw almost no positive effect of this drink on their sprint performance.
In fact, the team found that people who drank about three or more cups of coffee each day saw their athletic performance decline with repeated sprint tests. However, those who had low caffeine intake maintained their performance throughout all 10 tests.
With this in mind, they recommend that coffee-loving athletes reduce or stop their intake in the lead-up to athletic performance.
Otherwise, they may be likely to reap the bitter fruits of excess caffeine.
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