Scientists uncover how caffeine boosts athletes’ performance
In a study published in Friday’s online issue of the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, researchers from McMaster University Medical Centre found that caffeine tricks an athlete’s brain into delaying the perception of pain and fatigue. More importantly, it also tricks muscles into releasing more of the calcium needed to contract and relax.
“The caffeine is allowing a little bit more calcium to be released into that muscle,” said Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky. “It would make that muscle contraction a little bit stronger, so you can actually either run at the same pace with less input, or run at a faster pace for the same input.” Research from the University of Guelph showed caffeine in high concentrations can actually have the opposite effect, which is one of the reasons it is no longer banned at the Olympics.
Ron Charles from CBC talks about it in the video below:
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Posted: April 6th, 2009 under Health, Research.
Tags: Caffeine, Calcium, Performance, Physical Exercise
Comment from Celine
Time April 6, 2009 at 1:02 PM
Intersting results ! There is also another theory which is older :
Our muscles use glycogen (storage form of glucose) as the principal fuel. However, fat is a major source of energy too. Caffeine makes the muscles use as much fat as possible , delaying the depletion of glycogen. The saved glycogen can be used during the later stages of exercise .So the beneficial effect on the muscles would enhance the performance