How Caffeine Can Benefit Your Training

Caffeine. Oh sweet, sweet caffeine. There’s no doubt that we all enjoy a caffeine boost every now and then. In fact, most of us can’t start the day without it. Pass me the black stuff. But did you know that caffeine can actually help benefit your training?

If there’s one thing I learnt from my trip to Lanzarote with Red Bull, then it’s that caffeine can hugely benefit your training. That, and triathlete training is one heck of a life!

In my latest blog post, I went into detail how I got the chance to train with Triathlete Lucy Charles-Barclay. During my time with Lucy, we also got the opportunity to chat to her about her nutrition. And, being the nosey parker I am, I was curious to find out how Lucy 1) uses caffeine to fuel her training and 2) how regularly she relies on it.

Caffeine for training

We all know caffeine can be a pretty powerful source to boost our energy levels and increase our mental performance, but just how effective can it be for training?

Proven by studies, caffeine has huge benefits – from lowering RPE (the feeling of fatigue) to muscle activation. Here are a few more benefits it can provide for your training…

Activates areas of the brain

Thanks to the activation of the brain and nervous system, caffeine can help us to feel more alert, awake and reduce the feeling of tiredness. Hence why it’s so popular in the mornings!

Increases the hormone Epinephrine (adrenaline)

Epinephrine is the hormone responsible for the ‘flight or fight’ response and once the caffeine kicks in, it can boost this hormone to create much-needed adrenaline. Great for those workouts that need a little extra boost!

Promotes euphoria

It’s been known for many years that coffee stimulates the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine produces the euphoria and endorphins that many of us feel post-workout.

Activates muscle engagement

Thanks to the impact caffeine has on our motor cortex, it may help send signals to the brain to activate our muscles. The role of the primary motor cortex is to generate neural impulses that control the execution of movement.

Increases thermogenesis

Caffeine has been known to increase the temperature of the heat in our bodies, aka thermogenesis. And whilst this may not seem like a big deal, it’s known to help our bodies burn more calories – ideal for those looking to shift a little weight.

Enhances endurance performance

According to TrainingPeaks, caffeine may help mobilize fat stores and enable the body to use fat as its primary fuel source. By utilizing fat as fuel, this allows the body to spare glycogen, which is an additional fuel source for the body stored in the muscles and liver. By delaying muscle glycogen depletion, exercise can be prolonged enabling the athlete to go harder, longer, faster and perform more reps before fatigue.

So how long does caffeine take to affect the body? Many facts affect this, such as body weight, but on average it can take up to half an hour – 45 minutes. Once absorbed into the bloodstream, caffeine levels will remain high for roughly 3-4 hours before starting to drop. However, for the body to feel the effects of caffeine, it has to be at least 80mg of caffeine – the exact caffeine one can of Red bull contains.

Thanks to its positive effects, athletes and gym goers from all around the world rely on caffeine for their training. In fact, one study (this one here) found that 4.45 mg/kg of caffeine increased endurance in athletes. Compared to the placebo group, the athletes were able to cover 1.3-2 miles more.

Red Bull caffeine

So when it came to Lucy’s training and her consumption of Red Bull (like I said, read my latest post), she was pretty honest about how much she consumes in a day. Typically, Lucy will never start her day with a Red Bull. Instead, she’ll save a can for strength training sessions, long rides (6+ miles) and/or runs. As far as her mornings go, she’ll begin the day with a tea (true Brit), have a coffee for her 2nd session and consumes a can of Red Bull for the above sessions.

For Red Bull, caffeine isn’t the only thing athletes rely on. Sugar is their second best resource – which is why their original can contains the stuff. As it stands, sugar is the most efficient energy source for our bodies. When we don’t have enough sugar our bodies will slow down. Period. And as an athlete who trains daily and burns thousands of calories, sugar is indeed a substance that Lucy also relies on daily.

When glucose (a type of sugar found in Red Bull) is consumed, the brain tells the pancreas to create insulin. The glucose is then absorbed into the bloodstream through the small intestine. Glucose then uses the bloodstream to reach every cell in the body. The insulin then helps the glucose to enter the cells. Any excess glucose is stored in the liver and muscles and is converted to glycogen (a form of energy storage).

So when it comes to Red Bull, why are people still a little wary to knock back a can? Funnily enough, most people are still convinced that the energy drink we used to indulge in on a Friday night (hello vodka and Red Bull’s), are still dangerously high in caffeine but actually, they contain the exact same mg as your average cup of coffee. In fact, a Costa Coffee flat white has three times as much caffeine (227mg) than a can of Red Bull, yet you’re unlikely to bat an eyelid 3 pm on a Friday afternoon to that, are you?

The benefits are undoubtedly there. From increased endurance to alertness. And, from my recent experience with Red Bull, it’s certainly something that I now implement into my training to get maximal results.

Curious to see how caffeine will affect your training? Give it a whirl!

For personal reference, the sugar-free Red Bull is perfect for me and my sensitive stomach!