Caffeine is renowned for its energy-boosting properties and is casually consumed by the majority of people on a daily basis in the form coffee.
However people who have a vested interest in their fitness, from elite athletes to the committed weekend warrior often actively consume caffeine for it’s impact on both mental and physical performance; whether that’s to mentally get you through a workout or pushing for a personal best.
How Does Caffeine Improve Performance?
There are a number of ways in which caffeine can positively affect and improve performance. Most importantly, caffeine acts as a stimulant for the central nervous system, which is why you feel more alert after consuming it. It also increases your metabolic rate and encourages your body to break down fat and use it as an energy source, boosting energy levels.
A significant impact of caffeine that improves performance is the way it interacts with adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that builds up in our bodies and promotes sleep and relaxation. When you consume caffeine, it binds with the same receptors as adenosine and essentially blocks the effects, preventing that feeling of relaxation and instigating a feeling of alertness instead.
Another way in which caffeine can help improve performance is due to its ability to increase the secretion of endorphins. These are the feel-good chemicals that can help to mask pain and the perceived difficulty of exercise. The release of endorphins is crucial for both the physical and mental side of exercising and consuming caffeine pre-workout can help enhance both your physical and mental performance.
How Much Caffeine Do I need?
This is a tough question to give a specific answer to, as every person is different. There are a few different things to consider when establishing how much caffeine you will need to enhance your athletic performance. An individual’s genotype can have an impact on how much caffeine they need, as certain genotypes are classed as fast caffeine metabolizers, whereas some are classed as slow metabolizers. The optimal dosage is often also impacted by body weight, but the sweet spot for most people is around 180mg, which is what you get from a serving of Amunra.
The amount of caffeine a person needs is all personal, so it’s important to work out the amount that is best for you. In order to gain the optimal performance benefits from caffeine, you should aim to consume it around 30-60 minutes before exercise.
The Best Sources of Caffeine
Coffee, tea, chocolate and fizzy drinks are all sources of caffeine. Many people when using caffeine for performance look to energy drinks and pre-workout powders so they can measure their caffeine intake; however these typically contain unnecessary additives.
At Amunra, we wanted to develop a unique tasting coffee that could also provide the optimal amount of caffeine for performance enhancement, whilst being all natural. We’ve stringent tested our Pure Performance Coffee with experts at Sheffield Hallam University to ensure it contains the optimum level of caffeine per serving (180mg) so you know exactly how much you’re getting.
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