whats your take on caffeine ?
06-30-09 | 12:34 PM
#26
OUTLAW BIKER
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: So Cal
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Seems that every week there is a new study on coffee. One week it'll kill you, the next its the fountain of youth.
I recently read an article which detailed a study suggesting that caffeine doesnt actually hurt your overall hydration or contribute to dehydration, i had long since believed it did. The study went on to say that drinking caffeine lowered your "perceived pain" leading to better performance.
of course i dont put much stock in these kind of articles, but it makes me wonder. I LOVE coffee, love it. I usually skip the early AM cup if i am going for an early morning ride because i felt it would dehydrate my and negatively effect my performance on the ride.
maybe i can have my morning coffee and ride immediately, thoughts?
I recently read an article which detailed a study suggesting that caffeine doesnt actually hurt your overall hydration or contribute to dehydration, i had long since believed it did. The study went on to say that drinking caffeine lowered your "perceived pain" leading to better performance.
of course i dont put much stock in these kind of articles, but it makes me wonder. I LOVE coffee, love it. I usually skip the early AM cup if i am going for an early morning ride because i felt it would dehydrate my and negatively effect my performance on the ride.
maybe i can have my morning coffee and ride immediately, thoughts?
06-30-09 | 02:20 PM
#28
Faster than yesterday
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,510
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From: Evanston, IL
caffeine is a proven ergogenic aid. among other things, it heightens alertness and encourages fat metabolism. It only has these effects, though, if it is used infrequently (and is obviously addictive). If you drink coffee everyday, your body becomes acclimated to it, and the performance gains are minimal without a higher dose.
06-30-09 | 03:16 PM
#31
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 8,952
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From: Southern Maine
Without it, civilisation will cease to exist.
Don't overanalyze, just have a cup and go.
Of course, you would smile if you knew about my coffee posts,
I do overanalyze the making of it. But that, as Spock would say, is
only logical..
Don't overanalyze, just have a cup and go.
Of course, you would smile if you knew about my coffee posts,
I do overanalyze the making of it. But that, as Spock would say, is
only logical..
06-30-09 | 03:27 PM
#32
Too Fat for This Sport
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Northern California
Bikes: 2011 Cannondale Supersix
All this talk about coffee is making me want more coffee.
The other day we purchased a puppy, an 8 week old Shih Tzu and we set some ground rules. No feeding the puppy human food. We do not want him to know theres a difference between the crap he eats and the crap we do.
Well so this past Saturday Im walking in the door from a run to the local coffee shop. My wife likes the White chocolate mocha's. So Im juggling this two coffee's and a bag off pastries and I spill a little bit onto the tile floor in the kitchen. Before I can stop the puppy (Ollie), he swoops in to lick it up.
Whenever we bring in any coffee at all , the dog gets this expression on his face.
"Sweet nectar of the Gods" .... Turns out I now have a dog addicted to starbucks, great!
The other day we purchased a puppy, an 8 week old Shih Tzu and we set some ground rules. No feeding the puppy human food. We do not want him to know theres a difference between the crap he eats and the crap we do.
Well so this past Saturday Im walking in the door from a run to the local coffee shop. My wife likes the White chocolate mocha's. So Im juggling this two coffee's and a bag off pastries and I spill a little bit onto the tile floor in the kitchen. Before I can stop the puppy (Ollie), he swoops in to lick it up.
Whenever we bring in any coffee at all , the dog gets this expression on his face.
"Sweet nectar of the Gods" .... Turns out I now have a dog addicted to starbucks, great!
06-30-09 | 03:58 PM
#36
cyclepath
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: "The Last Best Place"
Bikes: 2005 Trek Pilot 5.0, 2001 Specialized Sirrus Pro, Kona Lava Dome, Raleigh hardtail converted to commuter, 87 Takara steel road bike, 2008 Trek Soho
That song isn't drug related but we get your meaning. 
At least it wasn't intended to be.
Also, me thinks that caffeine effecting your chops is all in your head don't ya think?
As for me, the more the better.
At least it wasn't intended to be.Also, me thinks that caffeine effecting your chops is all in your head don't ya think?
As for me, the more the better.
__________________
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-- Friedrich Nietzsche
Last edited by daredevil; 06-30-09 at 04:07 PM.
06-30-09 | 05:14 PM
#37
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Yes.
Espresso, by the stove-top pot
Caffeine gels are good also.
For XC skiing I'll drink about 250 ml of caffeinated (but not carbonated) drink at the last feed of a 50 km race. Keeps the bonk at bay, but a crash does follow if I do more than 20 minutes of race effort after ingestion. On a bike this crash doesn't seem as severe...
kaNUK
Espresso, by the stove-top pot
Caffeine gels are good also.
For XC skiing I'll drink about 250 ml of caffeinated (but not carbonated) drink at the last feed of a 50 km race. Keeps the bonk at bay, but a crash does follow if I do more than 20 minutes of race effort after ingestion. On a bike this crash doesn't seem as severe...
kaNUK
06-30-09 | 05:30 PM
#39
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From: SF Bay Area East
Bikes: Open Cycles WI.DE.
What's my take on caffeine? I take it when I can get it!!!
I think you would have to be on some serious milligrams of the stuff to get any kind of performance boost. At this point I just need the minimum amount to keep my blood pressure high enough to stay awake....
I think you would have to be on some serious milligrams of the stuff to get any kind of performance boost. At this point I just need the minimum amount to keep my blood pressure high enough to stay awake....
06-30-09 | 05:40 PM
#41
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07-01-09 | 05:52 AM
#43
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I'm a fan of caffeine; it has given me very good results. Lowering lactic-acid pain in races, increasing endurance and fat-burning on training rides, etc. Here's some articles:
Caffeine Reduces Muscle Burning During Intense Exercise
Armstrong's Study Shows Caffeine Does Not Increase Dehydration
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
The diuretic effect is overblown because most people don't do double-blind studies with their own coffee consumption. If you drank 2-3 cups of water while sitting around the office in the morning, you'd need to pee in the next hour anyway. It the liquid water in the coffee that's making you pee and you don't end up dehydrated. A lot of people think of the effects of alcohol when they hear the word "diuretic", and yes, alcohol has a completely different effect on you than coffee. However, when you're exercising and exerting yourself, your elevated metabolism causes caffeine to have even less of a diuretic effect.
And caffeine's not a miracle drug by any means. It won't make you go faster, it'll just help you keep up your existing fast-speed for longer with less pain. Like with anything else, there are pros and cons and you have to balance them. One effect is improved reaction-times; probably not much of an aid in cycling. But one of my friends who races Ferraris swears by them. He OD'ed by taking a whole handful of NoDoz tablets before a race and ended up in hospital with heart palpatations.
Caffeine Reduces Muscle Burning During Intense Exercise
Armstrong's Study Shows Caffeine Does Not Increase Dehydration
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
The diuretic effect is overblown because most people don't do double-blind studies with their own coffee consumption. If you drank 2-3 cups of water while sitting around the office in the morning, you'd need to pee in the next hour anyway. It the liquid water in the coffee that's making you pee and you don't end up dehydrated. A lot of people think of the effects of alcohol when they hear the word "diuretic", and yes, alcohol has a completely different effect on you than coffee. However, when you're exercising and exerting yourself, your elevated metabolism causes caffeine to have even less of a diuretic effect.
And caffeine's not a miracle drug by any means. It won't make you go faster, it'll just help you keep up your existing fast-speed for longer with less pain. Like with anything else, there are pros and cons and you have to balance them. One effect is improved reaction-times; probably not much of an aid in cycling. But one of my friends who races Ferraris swears by them. He OD'ed by taking a whole handful of NoDoz tablets before a race and ended up in hospital with heart palpatations.
07-01-09 | 06:21 AM
#44
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Caffeine gives you energy alright . . . in the same way someone chasing you with a chainsaw does
It stimulates your adrenal glands, the very same glands that store energy for "fight or flight" situations like being chased by someone with a chainsaw.
To keep consuming caffeine drains your adrenal glands, actually making you hyper sensitive and less able top make level headed decisions in crisis and in everyday life.
If you need caffeine just to get going in the morning, or for a workout or ride . . . ask yourself why is that? Is life itself not enough to get you going?
That said, we live in a largely self destructive world . . . . and caffeine consumption feeds that self destruction and mirrors the madness of the collective mind
It stimulates your adrenal glands, the very same glands that store energy for "fight or flight" situations like being chased by someone with a chainsaw.
To keep consuming caffeine drains your adrenal glands, actually making you hyper sensitive and less able top make level headed decisions in crisis and in everyday life.
If you need caffeine just to get going in the morning, or for a workout or ride . . . ask yourself why is that? Is life itself not enough to get you going?
That said, we live in a largely self destructive world . . . . and caffeine consumption feeds that self destruction and mirrors the madness of the collective mind
07-01-09 | 06:30 AM
#45
Thread Starter
Lost
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: nutley, nj
Caffeine gives you energy alright . . . in the same way someone chasing you with a chainsaw does
It stimulates your adrenal glands, the very same glands that store energy for "fight or flight" situations like being chased by someone with a chainsaw.
To keep consuming caffeine drains your adrenal glands, actually making you hyper sensitive and less able top make level headed decisions in crisis and in everyday life.
If you need caffeine just to get going in the morning, or for a workout or ride . . . ask yourself why is that? Is life itself not enough to get you going?
That said, we live in a largely self destructive world . . . . and caffeine consumption feeds that self destruction and mirrors the madness of the collective mind
It stimulates your adrenal glands, the very same glands that store energy for "fight or flight" situations like being chased by someone with a chainsaw.
To keep consuming caffeine drains your adrenal glands, actually making you hyper sensitive and less able top make level headed decisions in crisis and in everyday life.
If you need caffeine just to get going in the morning, or for a workout or ride . . . ask yourself why is that? Is life itself not enough to get you going?
That said, we live in a largely self destructive world . . . . and caffeine consumption feeds that self destruction and mirrors the madness of the collective mind
07-01-09 | 07:00 AM
#48
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 223
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From: Chicago
ask yourself why is that? Is life itself not enough to get you going?
...we live in a largely self destructive world...and caffeine consumption feeds that self destruction and mirrors the madness of the collective
...we live in a largely self destructive world...and caffeine consumption feeds that self destruction and mirrors the madness of the collective
07-01-09 | 07:04 AM
#49
I love caffeine. Maybe too much. That's why I never tried blow.
