AStomper

I was remembering when I used to drink I would take a couple diet pills before I went to sleep and I would wake up automatically in 2 hours. I was thinking that I could use these as a performance enhancer. I don't want to use them if 1) they don't enhance performance 2) it'd be illegal in a race or 3) if there is a major health risk. Has anyone tried this or have any history on it. Also I was thinking of creatine or something like that, I just don't feel like I'm pushing my muscles hard enough and I'm feeling tired out before my muscles burn. BTW I'm in the best shape of my life and not over wieght.

Captain Crash

Lets see...

Diet pills put unnatural chemicals and other things in your body.

If you are already in good shape, then keep it up and don't use pills.

And yes, performance enhancers are generally illegal in racing due to the fact that they give an unfair edge.

Univega

Most diet pills rely on caffeine. So when you say:
“I would take a couple diet pills before I went to sleep and I would wake up automatically in 2 hours.” The same thing would probably happen if you came home tired, drank strong coffee and went to sleep.

1) I don't want to use them if they don't enhance performance

Google caffeine and performance. My own opinion is that it does help. Any stimulate will.

2) it'd be illegal in a race

Check the rules. If it is a club race without official rules, and other guys drink coffee, it is probably allowed.

3) if there is a major health risk.

Read the ingredients and look them up. All drugs, even caffeine carry some risk. You have to decide on the risk to benefit ratio.

4) I was thinking of Creatine

There is a post here about Creatine. Read it. Creatine is a natural occurring in red meat. While I have not seen a benefit in my case, you may.

5) I just don't feel like I'm pushing my muscles hard enough and I'm feeling tired out before my muscles burn.

May I ask your cadence? >80 rpm?

AStomper

My cyclocomputer doesn't track cadence but my best estimate is around 100-120. I'll go look up all that stuff.

Ropopompom

Forget the diet pills, just drink coffee.

KyleKranz

I have actually read that caffeine has much more of an effect on you then coffee will. I know, in my case, the actual pills will give me quite the buzz, but with coffee I will not notice much of a change.

Hob684

1 cup of coffee (regular black) has about ~80-90 mg of caffeine.

Most diet pills have 150-250 mg of caffeine per pill.

Another reason the pills give you a buzz but not coffee is that pills deliver their dosage quite quickly while with drinking a liquid it takes a longer time to consume. Hot coffee = drink it slow.


Hydroxycut - 200mg
Stacker 2 - 200mg
Stacker 3 - 250mg
ThermoDynamX - 199mg
Xenadrine Super Hard Core - 360 mg

Soft Drinks
12-ounce beverage milligrams

Red Bull (8.2 oz) 80.0
Jolt 71.2
Pepsi One 55.5
Mountain Dew 55.0
Mountain Dew Code Red 55.0
Diet Mountain Dew 55.0
Kick Citrus 54.0
Mellow Yellow 52.8
Surge 51.0
Tab 46.8
Diet Coke 45.6
Shasta Cola 44.4
Shasta Cherry Cola 44.4
Shasta Diet Cola 44.4
RC Cola 43.0
Diet RC 43.0
Dr. Pepper 41.0
Diet Dr. Pepper 41.0
Diet Sunkist Orange 41.0
Mr. Pibb 40.0
Sugar-Free Mr. Pibb 40.0
Red Flash 40.0
Sunkist Orange 40.0
Slim-Fast Cappuccino Delight Shake 40.0
Ruby Red 39.0
Storm 38.0
Big Red 38.0
Pepsi-Cola 37.5
Pepsi Twist 37.5
Diet Pepsi J*** 37.5
Diet Pepsi 36.0
Wild Cherry Pepsi 38.0
Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi 36.0
Diet Pepsi Twist 36.0
Aspen 36.0
Coca-Cola Classic 34.0
Cherry Coke 34.0
Lemon Coke 34.0
Vanilla Coke 34.0
Diet Cherry Coke 34.0
Snapple Flavored Teas (Reg. or Diet) 31.5
Canada Dry Cola 30.0
A&W Creme Soda 29.0
Nestea Sweet Iced Tea 26.5
Nestea Unsweetened Iced Tea 26.0
Lipton Diet Green Tea with Citrus (16.9 oz) 23.0
Barq's Root Beer 23.0
A&W Diet Creme Soda 22.0
Slim-Fast Chocolate Flavors 20.0
Lipton Brisk, All Varieties 9
Canada Dry Diet Cola 1.2
Diet Rite Cola 0
Sprite 0
7-Up 0
Mug Root Beer 0
Diet Barq's Root Beer 0
Sundrop Orange 0
Minute Maid Orange 0
A&W Root Beer 0
Slice 0
Sierra Mist 0
Fresca 0




Other Beverages
8-ounce Beverage milligrams

Coffee, Drip 115-175
Coffee, Brewed 80-135
Coffee, Espresso (2 ounces) 100
Coffee, Instant 65-100
Tea, iced 47
Tea, brewed, imported brands (avg.) 60
Tea, brewed, U.S. brands (avg.) 40
Tea, instant 30
Tea, green 15
Hot cocoa 14
Coffee, Decaf, brewed 3-4
Coffee, Decaf, instant 2-3

SOURCES: National Soft Drink Association, US Food and Drug Administration, Bunker and McWilliams, Pepsi, Slim-Fast.


As for caffeine being a performance enhancing drug... probably.

<source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine>

Therefore, caffeine acts as a competitive inhibitor. The reduction in adenosine activity results in increased activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine, largely accounting for the stimulatory effects of caffeine. Caffeine can also increase levels of epinephrine/adrenaline,[32] possibly via a different mechanism. Acute usage of caffeine also increases levels of serotonin, causing positive changes in mood.

...

With these effects, caffeine is an ergogenic: increasing the capacity for mental or physical labor. A study conducted in 1979 showed a 7% increase in distance cycled over a period of two hours in subjects who consumed caffeine compared to control tests.[36] Other studies attained much more dramatic results; one particular study of trained runners showed a 44% increase in "race-pace" endurance, as well as a 51% increase in cycling endurance, after a dosage of 9 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight.[37] The extensive boost shown in the runners is not an isolated case; additional studies have reported similar effects. Another study found 5.5 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body mass resulted in subjects cycling 29% longer during high intensity circuits.[38]

9mg/kg body weight = ~612mg for a 150 lb person
5.5mg/kg = ~374mg /150lb person

Average lethal dosage of Caffeine is ~10g (10 000mg)

FatguyRacer

Interesting chart. Red Bull has the same or less caffeine than a cup of coffee, but people are willing to drink the foul stuff. Different strokes i suppose.

Hob684

I had to do a review of a frequently used, legal, recreational drug with addictive side effects for my Forensic Toxicology class last year.. luckily i still have the slides and paper saved.

and yes.. i frequently take the stacker2's when i ride my bike to my 8am class and then must work till midnight.

Coming off caffeine slowly is KEY!

Ropopompom

Try downing 3 double espresso's in rapid succession then tell me whether coffee or pills have the greater effect

caloso

Yeah, when I was drinking I used to take a bunch of other crazy crap in addition to the booze.

DannoXYZ 

Higher speeds aren't really part of the effects of caffeine. However, numerous studies have already shown that caffeine produces a glycogen-sparing effect; most likely due to raising glucagon levels and increasing lypolysis. It improves endurance, not speed.

CP Tips - Caffeine
JAP - Effect of different protocols of caffeine intake on metabolism and endurance performance
JAP - Effect of a divided caffeine dose on endurance cycling performance,
JAP - Performance and metabolic responses to a high caffeine dose during prolonged exercise (cycling endurance increased +51%)
AJCN - Caffeine and coffee: their influence on metabolic rate and substrate utilization in normal weight and obese individuals

POLK727

If your looking to get that edge and you're thinking of taking a supplement then I would go with a creatine like https://www.illpumpyouup.com/bsn/cellmass.htm. It will give your muscles that extra bit of strenght and ability to recover quicker.... I would stay away from diet pills, most diet pills are thermogenics... yes they will give you a boost of energy but with that will eventually come a crash in energy... creatine will help your body in the long run for muscle endurance and recovery.

edzo

if U get tired before your legs burn, then you are not in the best shape



stfuar kthxbye

Carbonfiberboy 

#1 - ride more hills and ride 'em harder! That will wake you up and get your legs burning. 'Course if you live in Flatland that's an issue. Move.

Caffeine works. Either pill or liquid form. As discussed above.

Ephedrine was very popular and there are still purchasable forms out there. I don't think it works. It raises your HR and may elevate your mood, but I don't think it increases performance. Perhaps the opposite. Illegal, anyway.

Creatine works if you don't eat red meat. I don't think it increases endurance, but it increases power to the pedals at the top of a hill. I think. Don't use it like bodybuilders do. Just 5g to 6g after a workout for recovery.

So don't just grab a "diet pill." Read the label and research the ingredients. Pure caffeine works the best IMHO. But only take it for hard rides. It's counter productive to use it all the time. You get desensitized.

nickthaquick1

i started to use hydroxycut before i hop on my bike. i do mostly hills at around 8pm when the hilly roads are closed in my area (perfect for riding!!). anyway i time myself from the base of one hill to the top every time i ride it, my cyclometer has a stopwatch function. i noticed that days i take hydroxycut 5 mins before i hop on for a ride, stacked with a multiviatamin, a cliff shot, and a doseage of BCAA pills is when i ride my fastest. its about 11 minutes from bottom to top, and with hydroxycut i usually can take off 30-50 seconds and feel fine when i reach the top.

not a scientifiy study by any means but at least its a measurable result! in fact im about to go ride right now, ill let ya know how i do

nickthaquick1

ehhh, crappy ride...i crashed hahah

myself and the bike are fine (whew). we;ll see how it goes this weekend

fordfasterr

ohh noes ! you got all hopped up on caffeine(crank) and went so damn fast you blanked out and slammed into a tree !