Caffeine in Endurance Sports: When and Why to Use It

Caffeine is one of the most well researched sport supplements, with clear performance benefits, especially within endurance exercise. In this article we will explore caffeine and why you should try and start using it in your training and races.

What is Caffeine?

Most of us know we get caffeine in our coffees and helps us to get through long days, but athletes have been utilising caffeine for years to help improve their exercise performance. Caffeine is a stimulant and is therefore classed as a drug rather than a nutrient. This is due to the way caffeine acts on the body, specifically on the nervous system. Caffeine blocks a sleep-inducing chemical, leading to increased alertness and concentration.

Why Should You Use It?

Caffeine is a great tool for endurance athletes, in all disciplines. Caffeine will reduce your feelings of fatigue and dull the sensation of pain to help you sustain your desired intensity for longer. On top of this, it increases alertness and reaction time, helping you mentally.

When Should You Take Caffeine?

Caffeine in sport supplements can come in a variety of forms as seen in the below table. The type of supplement you choose will change when you should take it. There is no ‘right’ time to take caffeine in your fuelling strategy, with some athletes taking it before the session/race to get the benefit immediately, whereas others prefer to hold off and take on later in the session/ race to combat any fatigue. This is up to yourself as an athlete, the best approach is to try this out in training before an event to see what works best for you.

However, caffeine supplements can take different amounts of time to take effect. 

• Tablets, powders, gels, bars or energy drinks: noticeable effects take 20-30 minutes, but 60 minutes to reach its peak in the blood.

• Caffeine gum/ chew: absorbed more quickly, peak absorption occurring in about 30 minutes.

Therefore timing becomes increasingly important, to ensure peak absorption hits when you need it most.

Energy Gels

• GU Energy Gel
• Precision Fuel PF 30 Caffeine Gel

Energy Chews

• Clif Bloks

Energy Bars

• Näak Ultra Energy Caffeine Bars

Energy Powders

• STYRKR MIX90 Caffeine+ Dual-Carb Drink

Caffeine Chews

• Caffeine Bullet

When looking for supplements, always check the caffeine content, this can vary not just between products but even flavours of the same product.

Do all Athletes Respond to Caffeine Equally?

While caffeine offers well established performance benefits, caffeine tolerance is individual so when higher doses (6-9mg/kg body weight) are consumed it can cause side effects such as an increase in heart rate, anxiety, trembling and sleeplessness. Therefore it is important to use caffeine on an individual basis, what works for one athlete may not work for another.

Used strategically, caffeine can be a great tool to help aid performance, and is a supplement all endurance athletes should consider taking. Experimenting with different types of products and brands during training will help find the right strategy to get the most benefit.