VROOM VROOM, BABY! Caffeine is THE most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world, and it's one of the most commonly available ergogenic aids (i.e. substances that can improve athletic performance). In this episode we talk about the research behind caffeine and its effect on endurance performance, "fast" and "slow" metabolizers, dosing, timing, the placebo effect, caffeine's effect on heart rate, and more!

Coach Elisabeth is the Founder and Head Coach at Running Explained, 6x marathoner, multi-certified coach, Boston Qualifier, and enthusiastic believer in your ability to turn the impossible into the possible. Whether you're a brand new runner or have been pounding the pavement for decades, she believes there is always more to learn about running and always more that running can teach us about life. C⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rush your goals with a Running Explained training plan, masterclass, group coaching, or 1:1 coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or learn from her meticulously researched ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram posts on a wide variety of running-related topics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

References:

Bangsbo, J., Jacobsen, K., Nordberg, N., Christensen, N. J., & Graham, T. (1992). Acute and habitual caffeine ingestion and metabolic responses to steady-state exercise. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 72(4), 1297–1303. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1992.72.4.1297 Barreto, G., Grecco, B., Merola, P., Reis, C. E. G., Gualano, B., & Saunders, B. (2021). Novel insights on caffeine supplementation, CYP1A2 genotype, physiological responses and exercise performance. European journal of applied physiology, 121(3), 749–769. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04571-7 Beedie, C. J., Stuart, E. M., Coleman, D. A., & Foad, A. J. (2006). Placebo effects of caffeine on cycling performance. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 38(12), 2159–2164. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000233805.56315.a9

Collado-Mateo D, Lavín-Pérez AM, Merellano-Navarro E, Coso JD. Effect of Acute Caffeine Intake on the Fat Oxidation Rate during Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2020 Nov 24;12(12):3603. doi: 10.3390/nu12123603. PMID: 33255240; PMCID: PMC7760526. Glaister, M., Williams, B. H., Muniz-Pumares, D., Balsalobre-Fernández, C., & Foley, P. (2016). The Effects of Caffeine Supplementation on Physiological Responses to Submaximal Exercise in Endurance-Trained Men. PloS one, 11(8), e0161375. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0161375 Guest, N. S., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Nelson, M. T., Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Jenkins, N. D. M., Arent, S. M., Antonio, J., Stout, J. R., Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Goldstein, E. R., Kalman, D. S., & Campbell, B. I. (2021). International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4

McClaran SR, Wetter TJ. Low doses of caffeine reduce heart rate during submaximal cycle ergometry. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2007 Oct 9;4:11. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-4-11. PMID: 17925021; PMCID: PMC2164943.