
Caffeine is usually the main ingredient in pre-workout supplements. Caffeine has been well studied in the sports nutrition and performance field and has been proven to:
Therefore, research has shown that the consumption of caffeine can improve mental and physical performance, increase physical endurance and reduce fatigue sensation during training.
This has sent the supplement industry into a frenetic competition for the highest amount of caffeine in their pre-workout supplement, with some brands adding over 3x the daily recommended intake of caffeine in one serve.
So, what is the problem with that?
If caffeine improves performance, the more the better… right?
Wrong! Let’s understand why…
If the supplement company is illegally adding higher amounts of caffeine of those permitted, you should ask yourself what else is being hidden and not tested. Fillers, illegal substances, and toxic compounds are often found in sports supplements, and they can cause damage to your liver and other organs and reduce physical performance. Looking for supplements that follow the Food Standards and Therapeutic Goods Acts is important to ensure you are consuming what your read on the label, only what you are paying for. Another important point to question is: if so much focus is going into the caffeine content, what would be missing from this formula? Many supplement companies don’t want to pay or spend time in creating a formula that will help you using other active ingredients that are also clinically proven to improve performance. Supplements formulations and the research behind it is an expensive process and very time-consuming.
Consuming very high amounts of caffeine has been shown to increase caffeine tolerance. This tolerance moves from the need to increase the consumption of caffeine to a max type of tolerance where increasing caffeine intake will no longer have an effect. This also means you will no longer see the performance benefits from caffeine consumption during your workout.
The bottom line is: caffeine has been proven to improve physical performance and help you get the most out of your workout. Unfortunately, more does not mean better and excess caffeine can have the opposite effect by increasing muscle breakdown and muscle soreness and decreasing recovery and physical performance.
1. Be careful with supplements that do not obey to the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards and Therapeutic Good Administration Acts. Look for:
2. Look for safe and high-quality supplements:
KEEP IT SIMPLE, TEST IT, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND CRUSH YOUR WORKOUT.
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