Caffeine and Exercise Performance
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Caffeine and Exercise Performance
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Re: Caffeine and Exercise Performance
#2Wasn't caffeine combined with contact sports linked to some brain damage?
I remember this being a thing going around - the proposed mechanism was that while caffeine helps in general, it constricts brain blood vessels making blows to head more dangerous, since blow to head "spills" stuff from neurons and due to the constriction they take longer to be resupplied. I remember some scientific articles on this but I don't recall if this was conclusive.
It might not be much of a concern for BJJ, where blows to head are relatively rare, but it for sure would be a concern for boxing or MT.
Re: Caffeine and Exercise Performance
#3For people interested in using caffeine for tasks that don't provide an outlet for the jitteriness in the form of physical exercise:
Check out L-Theanine[1], it works wonders for keeping caffeine's focus, but dampening the anxiousness.
Re: Caffeine and Exercise Performance
#4For people interested in using caffeine for tasks that don't provide an outlet for the jitteriness in the form of physical exercise: Check out L-Theanine[1], it works wonders for keeping caffeine's focus, but dampening the anxiousness. [1]: https://examine.com/supplements/theanine/
L-theanine is the active non-sedative anxiolytic in green tea that gives it such a "smooth high" when combined with its methylxanthine stimulants, theobromine and caffeine - which are natural pesticides, by the way.
Anecdote of one: I stopped taking L-Theanine because I would experience a noticeable comedown of apathy two days later.
Re: Caffeine and Exercise Performance
#5A bit unrelated, but I always get sleepy from coffee for some reason.
Even yesterday I was just yawning and almost falling asleep between sets at the gym, even though I drank an espresso right before the workout.
I had a normal 8 hours of sleep that night too, so don't think it has to do with sleep deprivation.
Is this something anyone else has issues with?
Re: Caffeine and Exercise Performance
#6A bit unrelated, but I always get sleepy from coffee for some reason. Even yesterday I was just yawning and almost falling asleep between sets at the gym, even though I drank an espresso right before the workout. I had a normal 8 hours of sleep that night too, so don't think it has to do with sleep deprivation. Is this something anyone else has issues with?
I'd say it's a pretty standard caffeine effect.
Re: Caffeine and Exercise Performance
#7Note,
From my ADHD way of controlling my ADHD the ideal way to stack caffeine with other stimulants is to take 70mg or less daily with the ECGC component of green tea in the form of Cacao to get both Caffeine and Theobromine
!. Theobromine is a weaker stimulant that has a lot longer half life than caffeine. 2. ECGC from green tea changes the conformation of the adenosine receptor, i.e. blocks it thus raising dopamine levels.
It's the way I get away with a lower L-DOPA dosage and that higher concentration lasts all day just by taking a tablespoon of cacao and my green tea extract in the morning.
Re: Caffeine and Exercise Performance
#8For people interested in using caffeine for tasks that don't provide an outlet for the jitteriness in the form of physical exercise: Check out L-Theanine[1], it works wonders for keeping caffeine's focus, but dampening the anxiousness. [1]: https://examine.com/supplements/theanine/
Theanine never did much for me. I tried several brands.
Re: Caffeine and Exercise Performance
#9For people interested in using caffeine for tasks that don't provide an outlet for the jitteriness in the form of physical exercise: Check out L-Theanine[1], it works wonders for keeping caffeine's focus, but dampening the anxiousness. [1]: https://examine.com/supplements/theanine/
L-theanine is the active non-sedative anxiolytic in green tea that gives it such a "smooth high" when combined with its methylxanthine stimulants, theobromine and caffeine - which are natural pesticides, by the way. Anecdote of one: I stopped taking L-Theanine because I would experience a noticeable comedown of apathy two days later.
I believe it's present in all teas: black, oolong, white etc... as well as green.
Re: Caffeine and Exercise Performance
#10I've recently started taking 200mg caffeine pills in the morning instead of coffee. A very cheap and easy way to boost energy in the morning, within about 15 minutes you really want to get out of bed, and no need to walk to the coffee machine. 200 pills are about $5, which is a lot cheaper than coffee.
I'll probably tone down the dose, because it's the equivalent of 3 espressos, which is a bit much. I would normally do a double espresso.