The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Truths On Caffeine

by Tia Dewick in Nutrition

caffeine | coffee | personal training | leicester

The most commonly known place to find caffeine is within coffee. Traces can also be found in tea, chocolate, ice cream and energy drinks. 2-3 cups of coffee has been concluded as the most beneficial dose for health. Most energy drinks consume more than the recommended daily dose of caffeine in just one can! So be sure to check the nutritional values before consumption. The maximal daily recommended dose of caffeine is 5.1mg per kilogram of body mass.

Caffeine aids weight loss! It activates the use of fats as a fuel by increasing the release of adrenaline. By having increased adrenaline in your system you may experience an increase in energy but you may also experience heart palpations. Therefore by consuming caffeine too close to when you go to sleep, it can affect your sleeping patterns. Research has shown that by consuming caffeine as far as 6 hours before you go to sleep can significantly increase time awake and restlessness. The most effective times to consume coffee is first thing in the morning and at lunch time (aiming for no later than 2pm). It has been found that consuming caffeine when sleep deprived can enhance mood alongside alertness.

Caffeine is a diuretic and therefore can impair your ability to maintain hydration. Do not include your cups of coffee or energy drinks as a form of hydration; ensure you still consume your 2 litres (8 glasses) of water per day. Caffeine can also cause small rises in blood pressure, increase risk of developing headaches and irritability.

In order to enhance your workout caffeine can play a vital role. Research has shown that consuming between 3mg and 6mg of caffeine per kilogram of body mass can enhance performance. IMPORTANT NOTE: 6mg per kilogram of body mass of caffeine should not be consumed if you weigh less than 55kg and no further caffeine should be consumed throughout the remainder of the day.

Addiction! Caffeine can become strongly addictive and may therefore cause you to become dependent on it. Also, if you are a habitual coffee drinker, the caffeine will have less effect than if you were to have it every now and again. So ask yourself why you drink coffee, potentially you could change to decaffeinated coffee or tea to maintain a healthy caffeine level.