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Energy for the Trail


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  • #1364099
    Patrick Tibbits
    Member

    @tibbits

    Hi All,

    Runner’s World has said that caffiene boosts performance in distance running events. It improves the ability to metabolize body fat for energy and raises pain tolerance.

    #1364105
    James Schipper
    BPL Member

    @monospot

    Caffiene has definitely been shown to increase aerobic performance, however the effects aren’t huge. The benefits have to be wieghed agaist the potential detrimental effects (ie diuresis which could predispose to dehydration). If you are running a competative 10k it might be worth using, but for backpacking I doubt you will see a big effect. However, if it makes you feel better its not dangerous. See below references.

    Multiple effects of caffeine on simulated high-intensity team-sport performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005 Nov;37(11):1998-2005
    INTRODUCTION: Caffeine enhances performance of single bouts of endurance exercise, but its effects on repeated bouts typical of those in high-intensity team sports are unclear. PURPOSE: To investigate effects of caffeine in a performance test simulating physical and skill demands of a rugby union game. METHODS: The study was a double-blind, randomized, crossover design in which nine competitive male rugby players ingested either caffeine (6 mg.kg(-1) body mass) or placebo (dextrose) 70 min before performing a rugby test. Each test consisted of seven circuits in each of two 40-min halves with a 10-min half-time rest. Each circuit included stations for measurement of sprint time (two straight-line and three agility sprints), power generation in two consecutive drives, and accuracy for passing balls rapidly. Interstitial fluid was sampled transdermally by electrosonophoresis before ingestion of caffeine or placebo and then before testing, at half-time, and immediately after testing; samples were assayed chromatographically for caffeine and epinephrine concentrations. RESULTS: The effects of caffeine on mean performance (+/-90% confidence limits) over all 14 circuits were: sprint speeds, 0.5% (+/-1.7%) through 2.9% (+/-1.3%); first-drive power, 5.0% (+/-2.5%); second-drive power, -1.2% (+/-6.8%); and passing accuracy, 9.6% (+/-6.1%). The enhancements were mediated partly through a reduction of fatigue that developed throughout the test and partly by enhanced performance for some measures from the first circuit. Caffeine produced a 51% (+/-11%) increase in mean epinephrine concentration; correlations between individual changes in epinephrine concentration and changes in performance were mostly unclear, but there were some strong positive correlations with sprint speeds and a strong negative correlation with passing accuracy. CONCLUSION: Caffeine is likely to produce substantial enhancement of several aspects of high-intensity team-sport performance.

    J Sports Sci. 2006 Apr;24(4):433-9. Links
    The effect of caffeine ingestion on 8 km run performance in a field setting.Bridge CA, Jones MA.
    Sport and Exercise Research Group, Edge Hill College, Ormskirk, UK. [email protected]

    The aim of this study was to assess the effect of caffeine ingestion on 8 km run performance using an ecologically valid test protocol. A randomized double-blind crossover study was conducted involving eight male distance runners. The participants ran an 8 km race 1 h after ingesting a placebo capsule, a caffeine capsule (3 mg x kg(-1) body mass) or no supplement. Heart rate was recorded at 5 s intervals throughout the race. Blood lactate concentration and ratings of perceived exertion were recorded after exercise. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified a significant treatment effect for 8 km performance time (P < 0.05); caffeine resulted in a mean improvement of 23.8 s (95% confidence interval [CI] = 13.1 to 34.5 s) in 8 km performance time (1.2% improvement, 95% CI = 0.7 to 1.8%). In addition, a two-way (time x condition) repeated-measures ANOVA identified a significantly higher blood lactate concentration 3 min after exercise during the caffeine trial (P < 0.05). We conclude that ingestion of 3 mg . kg(-1) body mass of caffeine can improve absolute 8 km run performance in an ecologically valid race setting. There are plenty more similar references but I’ve probably taken up more than enough room.

    #1364117
    larry savage
    Spectator

    @pyeyo

    Locale: pacific northwest

    There was/or is a beverage called morning thunder, brewed like a tea, that will light you up like a booster rocket if your stomach could take it, just full of guarana. I worked with a fellow from S.America that told me it was matte and that it is drank with a ton of milk and sugar. Usually sold at a health food store. Much cheaper path to a stroke if that is what you be needing.

    #1366090
    Mike Barney
    Member

    @eaglemb

    Locale: AZ, the Great Southwest!

    The “Power Bars” work well for me. The only down side is the weight, but they taste good and don’t require any refrig.

    MikeB

    #1366186
    Douglas Frick
    BPL Member

    @otter

    Locale: Wyoming

    >don’t require any refrig.

    That’s the downside: if they get “refrig”ed (i.e., anywhere below about +35F) they get hard as rocks. Of course, you can shatter them and slowly eat the pieces although they tend to stick your teeth together. I have found that the temperature range between being frozen solid and being very gooey is too narrow. YMMV.

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