Snake_Run

A quick question on supplements, anyone tried those that increase focus? Like caffeine, green tea, or specific ones you can buy online for brain focus?

And if so, did they help for BMX riding?

WizardOfBoz

You are barreling down a mountain trail at speed, and you have problems with focus? Yoiks!

I do medical research, and have yet to see convincing evidence of efficacy for a lot of these things. Aside from caffeine and amphetamines. Caffeine is a pretty potent neuromodulator. I think I ride with more energy with coffee. Caffeine has a documented effect on focus. And prescription drugs like amphetamines help some folks with focus. Its a pretty extreme step, but things like Adderall help some folks. I'd try to avoid them if I could, though - long term effects.

Regarding the current "all natural" craze and the highly-touted "miracle compounds", I'm very skeptical. I found a website that touted "13 nootropics (smart drugs) that unlock your true brain". Isn't your true brain the one that's not modulated by drugs? And if the nootropics the website touted were effective, wouldn't there be clinical evidence (as i a well-controlled, adequately powered prospective clinical study showing statistically significant and clinically relevant modulating effects)? So, if you want to grab a Joe and see if you do better, great. If you want to see a doctor to get an Adderall prescription, well, that's your decision. I wouldn't. But as to the differential effect of secret all-natural compounds extracted from the horns of East Indian narwhals and such, I view it as hocum.

I will say this about caffeine. I work at home, and drink a lot of coffee during the day. My Keurig brewer recently clogged, so I had to go to Starbucks for coffee. I got two medium cups of "Blond". Man, I was hovering about a foot off the ground for the rest of the day. Starbucks must add caffeine to their brew or something. No doubt at all about the effect of caffeine after that!

wschruba

Granted, it's been almost a decade since I looked into it, but haven't they stopped the wild prescription of Adderall ('safe' amphetamines) since methamphetamine has become such a problem?

With coffee, the lighter the roast, the more caffeine it has. The roasting process breaks the compound down, so as it gets darker the overall content drops. That's one of the reasons espresso/turkish coffee/etc are traditionally made with dark roasts (the other being concentrated light roasts tasting awful). It could also be a tolerance thing, since caffeine, like alcohol, is a drug that you can build up a resistance to--at my worst, I was drinking 8-9 cups of coffee a day. Once I tapered off to decaf, one cup of regular was enough to get me flying.

caloso

You're asking people on a cycling forum whether they've ever tried caffeine?

Flip Flop Rider

different things work for different people. Personal experimentation may be in order

Coffee for me is a big energy booster. Green tea not so much

veganbikes

Ca-feene you say? Never heard of it, is it made of crabons?

WNCGoater

Coffee is necessary for life!

Flip Flop Rider

I gotta agree with this

canklecat

Coffee, sure. It's part of my pre-ride meal, day or night. Oatmeal with yogurt and a banana, and a couple of cups of joe.

But I'm wary of trying anything else. At age 60 I'm entering that phase of life when the brain and body become hyper-sensitive to anything that messes with the levels for dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, prostaglandins, etc.

I've seen too many older folks messed up by reckless consumption of OTC and prescription meds that affect acetylcholine, notably anticholinergics. Early symptoms of dementia may be due to careless consumption of anticholinergics -- the most common of which is diphenhydramine or Benadryl, but there are many others in all kinds of OTC remedies for allergies, colds, etc.

Some folks have experimented with old style obsolete OTC meds that can function similarly to tricyclic antidepressants, and as adjuncts for stimulating brain function. Personally, I consider that too dangerous to mess with. Feeling stimulated and jittery ain't the same thing as demonstrating improved reaction time, reflexes, etc.

While I've usually resisted naps, feeling like they're a waste of time unless I'm sick or exhausted, I'll now take short naps before a ride if I'm the least bit weary. Around 15-30 minutes seems good. I don't even need to fall asleep (and rarely do). Just put on some relaxing music, lie down, close my eyes and relax.

After that, I'll drink a cup of coffee and go for a ride. Seems to help my alertness -- very important in traffic.

JanMM

Coffee helps me focus on coffee.

evan326

I don't drink coffee, it tastes like cigarette ashes in water.
I've tried a few different pre workouts over the years, optimum nutrition's amino energy has been best for me. I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine and get the jitters quick

BobbyG

caloso

I'm guessing Dunkin Donuts.

atwl77

Without coffee, too much blood would get into our caffeine system and we'd die!!

canklecat

A single serving of Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy has the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee.

Good coffee is really good. Anything else is undrinkable. I drink mine like The Wolf: Lotsa cream, lotsa sugar. Some folks prefer a little cream and sugar. Brings out the flavor.

Only espresso is really good black, and must be prepared properly. Regular coffee without a little cream and sugar is uncivilized.

Burnt or just plain old bad coffee can upset the stomach and feel jittery. But it's not the caffeine.

evan326

It is the caffeine with me, if you're going by the serving sizes maybe the caffeine content is high. If you've used the product before though, you know it goes by the scoop. I use one scoop when I take it

canklecat

Veteran caffeinaholics get accustomed to the stuff pretty quickly. We tend to forget how it affected us at first. I didn't drink coffee growing up and even during my first couple of years in the Navy I was drinking tea, hot and cold.

I remember the first time I bought some Lipton instant ice tea powder. I was about 20. We'd just moved to a new base and apartment and I bought the Lipton instant because our electricity wasn't on yet. I misread the label and put in a little too much of the powder. It tasted fine, just a little strong. Within 15 minutes I was zinging around like I'd been pumped full of crystal meth or cocaine. That caffeine jolt was amazing.

Alas, as you get accustomed to the stuff it takes a lot more coffee or tea. Even then you never experience that eye popping jolt (and vaguely queasy feeling) again until you wean yourself off the bean juice for a few weeks or months and start again.

Occasionally I'll buy some super-caffeinated coffee. They all promise good flavor, but they all smell like potting soil or mulch and don't taste much better. I'd rather drink regular coffee and more of it for the flavor if I need more caffeine.

Due to chronic pain (old injuries, arthritis, etc.) I can't start the day without coffee and ibuprofen. Breakfast of ex-champions and grumpy old farts.

caloso

When it's good, I prefer mine like Agent Cooper.

canklecat

Cherry pie. Favorite nootropic of the Double R Diner.

Wileyrat

I ride on caffeine and beet root capsules.... Lots of caffeine and beet root capsules.

One constricts blood flow, the other increases blood flow. I'd probably be fine if I didn't do either.

big chainring 

We all blazed up on cannibas early Sunday mornings before mounting up. Made for some intense rides.