Ergogenic Aids

The Effects of Caffeine on Performance in Sports

Dr Larry W. McDaniel Ed.D., Kyle McIntire, Carmyn Streitz, Allen Jackson, MS. Laura Gaudet Ph.D. discuss critical issues related to the effects of caffeine on athlete's performance.

Athletes who use caffeine before exercising or competition may be helping themselves more than they think. Caffeine is classified as a stimulant and is the most common drug used globally. Caffeine has the same effects that amphetamines and cocaine have, just to a lesser degree. Caffeine crosses the membranes of all the body's tissues. It can wield effects on the central nervous system and the peripheral tissues resulting in physiological effects. Studies have shown that caffeine can help athletes perform better in various activities. It is a powerful ergogenic aid beneficial for athletic performance and training. Caffeine has been shown to increase speed and power output, improve the length an athlete can train, and assist the athlete in resisting fatigue. Caffeine has also been proven to stimulate the brain, contributing to an athlete's clearer thinking and concentration harder on the task. Studies have shown that up to 25% of athletes ages 11-18 years old have used caffeine to improve their athletic performances. Because of caffeine's effect on the body and its ability to increase an athlete's performance, Olympic Committees have debated whether caffeine should be tested before the Olympic Games.

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore caffeine's effect on athletic performance. An additional focus will be to search for information related to the benefits of caffeine that may improve performance.

Need for Study

Coffee "Caffeine is classified as a stimulant and is performance-enhancing (Jenkinson & Harbert, 2008, pg. 3)^[7]". Caffeine is the most commonly used drug. Caffeine appears in many other products, including energy drinks and bars, sports gel, alcoholic beverages, and diet aids. In general, society would not approve of an athlete using a steroid drug or a stimulant, but no one reacts negatively to athletes drinking coffee, tea, energy drinks, or pop.

Figure 1 shows a comparison of caffeinated drinks, many of which are used by athletes before a competition.

The American Alliance for Health stated that there are three ways that caffeine may provide ergogenic effects. "First, the metabolic theory suggests that caffeine provides improved endurance due to increased utilization of fat as fuel and a sparing effect on carbohydrate utilization. Secondly, caffeine may increase the calcium content of skeletal muscle and enhance the strength of muscle contraction. Lastly, caffeine has a direct effect on the central nervous system as a stimulant, and this can help with fatigue, increased alertness, and increased muscle recruitment (Powers M, 2004, pg. 4)^[9]".

Many athletes have used caffeine before competitions for years, but it wasn't until recently that caffeine was discovered to aid an athlete's performance. "Results of studies reported over the last five years strongly indicate that caffeine effectively increases athletic performances in endurance events (Sinclair & Geiger, 2000, pg. 2)^[10]". Athletes ranging from long-distance runners to those participating in strength and power competitions benefit from caffeine consumption. "Persons were able to complete a cycling time trial significantly faster after caffeine ingestion, and 2,000-meter rowing time was reduced by 1.2% after caffeine ingestion (Jenkinson & Harbert, 2008, pg. 3)^[7]". Figure 2, found in Appendix 1, shows the effects that caffeine has on endurance performance. Caffeine is a common substance found in the diets of many athletes; therefore, it is essential to study the impact on the athletes' body. "Caffeine operates using the same mechanisms that amphetamines and cocaine use to stimulate the brain; however, the effects are milder. Because it crosses the membranes of all tissues in the body (Powers M, 2004, pg. 4)^[9]".

Caffeine is a powerful ergogenic aid that may benefit training and athletic performance. "It can exert its effects on both the central nervous system and the peripheral tissues, resulting in several physiological effects that might improve performance (Powers M, 2004, pg. 4)^[9]". Caffeine has been shown to increase speed and power. It also allows athletes to train longer. Caffeine stimulates the brain, which contributes to clearer thinking and higher concentration. Studies have shown that caffeine does not directly improve maximal oxygen capacity but assists in resisting fatigue. "Although the effectiveness of caffeine as a means of masking fatigue has been explored since the early 1900s, the use of this ergogenic aid became popular following widely publicized research indicating improved endurance performance (Applegate & Grivetti, 1997, pg. 6)^[2]". Like all drugs, caffeine use has some side effects. No evidence states that caffeine leads to dehydration, ion imbalance, or other adverse effects.

Summary of Findings

"Caffeine is the most widely ingested psychoactive drug in the world (Sinclair & Geiger, 2000, pg. 1)^[10]". When used chronically, caffeine can lead to dependence, tolerance, drug craving, and withdrawal symptoms. However, it is still a legal substance used in sports. This stimulant is known to assist athletes in training harder and longer. "Drug use among athletes to achieve athletic benefit starts at a very young age. Of 11 to 18-year-old students surveyed, 35% believed caffeine could enhance performance, and 25% used caffeine to increase athletic performance (Sinclair & Geiger, 2000, pg. 2)^[10]".

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects caffeine has on athletic performance. The stimulant caffeine affects the brain, contributing to clearer thinking and higher concentration. An article published in the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (2004) stated that "There appear to be three primary mechanisms by which caffeine might provide an ergogenic effect:

The metabolic theory suggests that caffeine improves endurance due to increased fat utilization as a fuel and a sparing effect on fat utilisationization.
Caffeine may increase the calcium content of skeletal muscle and enhance the strength of muscle contraction.
Caffeine directly affects the central nervous system as a stimulant which may alter the perception of fatigue, increase alertness, and increase muscle recruitment.

An endurance athlete may be more likely to consider using the first mechanism. In contrast, the latter two would more likely be used by athletes participating in strength and power competitions and events requiring arousal and alertness (Powers M, 2004, pg. 4)^[9]".

Caffeine may be absorbed in several ways and can be administered orally, through injections administered either subcutaneously or intramuscularly, or by suppositories. "The actions of caffeine throughout the body correlate positively with caffeine levels, and the levels are governed by caffeine absorption, metabolism and excretion. Caffeine is absorbed efficiently through the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration with about 100% bioavailability (Sinclair & Geiger, 2000, pg. 2)^[10]".

Speed/Power in Long-Term Exercise

Few studies have been conducted to evaluate caffeine's effects on speed or endurance events. Early studies found improvements in repeated jumping, bench stepping, cycling, and treadmill tests. Researchers have studied elite skiers on a 20-23 km course at high and low altitudes. The caffeine ingestion resulted in faster performance times at the halfway mark and the finish line. The total time was about 55-67 minutes, while caffeine resulted in 33 and 101 seconds faster for low and high altitudes.

Another study explained an individual who performed 2 hours of cycle exercise after caffeine ingestion. The caffeinated athletes generated a 7.3% greater total power output. Skilled cyclists were told to perform, as quickly as possible, a set amount of work that was estimated to take about an hour. After exercising to exhaustion, seven endurance cyclists were given either a straight carbohydrate drink or one laced with the equivalent of six cups of coffee. "While it's been established that carbohydrates and caffeine improve a variety of athletic performances, this is the first study that has revealed that combining caffeine with carbohydrates after you have exercised can help your muscles refuel more rapidly (Caffeine Aids Athlete Recovery, 2008, pg. 1)^[4]". When the solution contained caffeine, the power output improvement was bigger.

Endurance in Short-Term, Intense Exercise

Endurance, in short, intense exercise, is challenging to measure. Therefore, it has received less attention. One study showed that training resulted in rapid exhaustion within 6 minutes, and caffeine did not affect it. Two other studies demonstrated participants exercising for 15 to 20 minutes had a slight increase in endurance (0.3 to 0.5 minutes) after consuming caffeine. Caffeine has positive effects or causes no significant improvement to short-term, intense exercise.

Power in Short-Term, Intense Exercise

The ability to perform at high intensity has been examined in several studies. Dr Collomp studied swimmers who swam 100m freestyle. In additional research, participants simulated a 1500m run, and coffee ingestion produced a 4.2 seconds improvement in running speed. Caffeine ingestion significantly improved the meantime of highly trained simmers by about 1 second, while untrained athletes showed no improvement. The results are more inconsistent when shorter duration activities are examined, probably because the potential gain is small and difficult to measure. These areas are not well studied, but it appears exercise lasting at least 60 seconds proves caffeine as an ergogenic aid, and no studies are showing adverse effects.

Muscle Glycogen

It has been found that caffeine results in glycogen sparing. Professor John Hawley, Head of RMIT's Exercise Metabolism Group, found that athletes who had caffeine with their meal after exercise had 66% more glycogen in their muscles 4 hours later (Caffeine Aids Athlete Recovery, 2008)^[4]. Glycogen is the body's preferred fuel for muscles when exercising. Hawley Stated, "If you have 66% more fuel for the next day's training or competition, there's no question you will be able to go further and faster (Caffeine Aids Athlete Recovery, 2008, pg. 1)^[4]". Many experiments last less than 30 minutes in which caffeine is beneficial when glycogen does not appear to be limiting.

Conclusion

Caffeine is a complex substance found in many organic compounds and is consumed by humans in coffee, tea, and chocolate. Caffeine is the most commonly used drug in the world. Food industries are adding caffeine to a wide variety of foods and drinks. Caffeine is found in many 'natural health products' and many over-the-counter drugs. The effect caffeine has on the body ranges from various adenosine receptors in several body tissues.

Caffeine is ergogenic in most if not all aerobic exercises. Studies have shown that caffeine enhances endurance-type exercises such as running, swimming, cycling, and tennis as an ergogenic aid. Studies have shown that caffeine also provides benefits in anaerobic activities such as resistance training. Olympic committees are debating whether or not caffeine should be tested before the Olympic Games because of its ergogenic effects. "Glucose recovery slows drastically after 3-4 hours, so recovery rates after 4 hours are excellent proxies for glycogen storage 24 hours after exercise. If you have 66% more fuel for the next day's training or competition, there's no question you will be able to go further and faster (Caffeine Aids Athlete Recovery, 2008, pg. 1)^[4]".

So far, there has been little evidence demonstrating that the administration of caffeine substances before or after exercise produces a negative effect. Many scientists have conducted several tests and experiments to determine caffeine's effects and continue researching caffeine as an ergogenic aid. One article stated, "The mechanisms involved in the actions of these compounds are varied and complex and extend well beyond the traditional explanation of sparing of muscle glycogen to involve fundamental aspects of muscle contractility probably."

References

ANTONIO, J. (2004) Caffeine: The Forgotten Ergogenic Aid. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 26 (6), p. 50-51
APPLEGATE, E. and GRIVETTI, L. (1997) Search for the competitive edge: A History of dietary fads and supplements. The Journal of Nutrition: 1996 ASNS Symposium Proceedings, 127 (5), p. 869-873
BEAVEN, C. et al. (2008) Dose Effect of Caffeine on Testosterone and Cortisol Responses to Resistance Exercise. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 18 (2), p. 131-141
Caffeine Aids Athlete Recovery (2008) Australasian Science 1 Sep. 2008: ProQuest Education Journals. ProQuest. Karl E. Mundt Library, Madison, SD. 29 Jan. 2009 https://www.proquest.com/
CLARK, N. (2005) Caffeine and Performance. Palaestra 1 Oct. 2005: 46. Research Library. ProQuest. Karl E. Mundt Library, Madison
GRAHAM, T. (2001) Caffeine and Exercise: Metabolism, Endurance and Performance. Sports Medicine 31 (11), p. 785-807.
JENKINSON, D. and HARBERT, A. (2008) Supplements and Sports. American Family Physician, 78 (9), p. 1039-1046.
McNAUGHTON, L. et al. (2008) The effects of caffeine ingestion on time trial cycling performance. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 48 (3), p. 320-325.
POWERS, M. (2004) "Safety, Efficacy, and Legal Issues Related to DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS", Strategies, 18 (1), p. 30-34.
SINCLAIR, C. and GEIGER, J. (2000) Caffeine use in sports: A pharmacological review. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 40 (1), p. 71-79.
WALLACE, S. (2006) A Comparison of Caffeinated Drinks [Photograph] [WWW] Available from: https://biolife.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/caffeinated-drink-comparison.jpg [Accessed December 4, 2009]

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

McDANIEL, L. et al. (2009) The Effects of Caffeine on Performance in Sports [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article058.htm [Accessed

About the Authors

Larry W. McDaniel Ed.D. is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science at Dakota State University Madison, SD. USA. Dr McDaniel was a First Team All-American football player (USA Football), a Hall of Fame Athlete, and Hall of Fame Wrestling Coach.

Allen Jackson, M. Ed. is an Assistant Professor of Physical Education and Health at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska (USA). He is well known for his presentations and publications at international conferences focusing on Leadership, Curriculum, and Health.

Laura Gaudet, Ph.D. is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Counselling, Psychology, and Social Work at Chadron State College, Chadron NE.

Dr Gaudet is well known for her publications and presentations at international conferences focusing on various topics psychology.

Kyle McIntire & Carmyn Streitz of Dakota State University are outstanding athletes and students of Exercise Science.


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McDaniel Ed.D., Kyle McIntire, Carmyn Streitz, Allen Jackson, MS. Laura Gaudet Ph.D. discuss critical issues related to the effects of caffeine on athlete's performance. Athletes who use caffeine before exercising or competition may be helping themselves more than they think. Caffeine is classified as a stimulant and is the most common drug used globally. Caffeine has the same effects that amphetamines and cocaine have, just to a lesser degree. Caffeine crosses the membranes of all the body's tissues. It can wield effects on the central nervous system and the peripheral tissues resulting in physiological effects. Studies have shown that caffeine can help athletes perform better in various activities. It is a powerful ergogenic aid beneficial for athletic performance and training. Caffeine has been shown to increase speed and power output, improve the length an athlete can train, and assist the athlete in resisting fatigue. Caffeine has also been proven to stimulate the brain, contributing to an athlete's clearer thinking and concentration harder on the task. Studies have shown that up to 25% of athletes ages 11-18 years old have used caffeine to improve their athletic performances. Because of caffeine's effect on the body and its ability to increase an athlete's performance, Olympic Committees have debated whether caffeine should be tested before the Olympic Games. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore caffeine's effect on athletic performance. An additional focus will be to search for information related to the benefits of caffeine that may improve performance. Need for Study "Caffeine is classified as a stimulant and is performance-enhancing (Jenkinson & Harbert, 2008, pg. 3)^[7]". Caffeine is the most commonly used drug. Caffeine appears in many other products, including energy drinks and bars, sports gel, alcoholic beverages, and diet aids. In general, society would not approve of an athlete using a steroid drug or a stimulant, but no one reacts negatively to athletes drinking coffee, tea, energy drinks, or pop. Figure 1 shows a comparison of caffeinated drinks, many of which are used by athletes before a competition. The American Alliance for Health stated that there are three ways that caffeine may provide ergogenic effects. "First, the metabolic theory suggests that caffeine provides improved endurance due to increased utilization of fat as fuel and a sparing effect on carbohydrate utilization. Secondly, caffeine may increase the calcium content of skeletal muscle and enhance the strength of muscle contraction. Lastly, caffeine has a direct effect on the central nervous system as a stimulant, and this can help with fatigue, increased alertness, and increased muscle recruitment (Powers M, 2004, pg. 4)^[9]". Many athletes have used caffeine before competitions for years, but it wasn't until recently that caffeine was discovered to aid an athlete's performance. "Results of studies reported over the last five years strongly indicate that caffeine effectively increases athletic performances in endurance events (Sinclair & Geiger, 2000, pg. 2)^[10]". Athletes ranging from long-distance runners to those participating in strength and power competitions benefit from caffeine consumption. "Persons were able to complete a cycling time trial significantly faster after caffeine ingestion, and 2,000-meter rowing time was reduced by 1.2% after caffeine ingestion (Jenkinson & Harbert, 2008, pg. 3)^[7]". Figure 2, found in Appendix 1, shows the effects that caffeine has on endurance performance. Caffeine is a common substance found in the diets of many athletes; therefore, it is essential to study the impact on the athletes' body. "Caffeine operates using the same mechanisms that amphetamines and cocaine use to stimulate the brain; however, the effects are milder. Because it crosses the membranes of all tissues in the body (Powers M, 2004, pg. 4)^[9]". Caffeine is a powerful ergogenic aid that may benefit training and athletic performance. "It can exert its effects on both the central nervous system and the peripheral tissues, resulting in several physiological effects that might improve performance (Powers M, 2004, pg. 4)^[9]". Caffeine has been shown to increase speed and power. It also allows athletes to train longer. Caffeine stimulates the brain, which contributes to clearer thinking and higher concentration. Studies have shown that caffeine does not directly improve maximal oxygen capacity but assists in resisting fatigue. "Although the effectiveness of caffeine as a means of masking fatigue has been explored since the early 1900s, the use of this ergogenic aid became popular following widely publicized research indicating improved endurance performance (Applegate & Grivetti, 1997, pg. 6)^[2]". Like all drugs, caffeine use has some side effects. No evidence states that caffeine leads to dehydration, ion imbalance, or other adverse effects. Summary of Findings "Caffeine is the most widely ingested psychoactive drug in the world (Sinclair & Geiger, 2000, pg. 1)^[10]". When used chronically, caffeine can lead to dependence, tolerance, drug craving, and withdrawal symptoms. However, it is still a legal substance used in sports. This stimulant is known to assist athletes in training harder and longer. "Drug use among athletes to achieve athletic benefit starts at a very young age. Of 11 to 18-year-old students surveyed, 35% believed caffeine could enhance performance, and 25% used caffeine to increase athletic performance (Sinclair & Geiger, 2000, pg. 2)^[10]". The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects caffeine has on athletic performance. The stimulant caffeine affects the brain, contributing to clearer thinking and higher concentration. An article published in the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (2004) stated that "There appear to be three primary mechanisms by which caffeine might provide an ergogenic effect: The metabolic theory suggests that caffeine improves endurance due to increased fat utilization as a fuel and a sparing effect on fat utilisationization. Caffeine may increase the calcium content of skeletal muscle and enhance the strength of muscle contraction. Caffeine directly affects the central nervous system as a stimulant which may alter the perception of fatigue, increase alertness, and increase muscle recruitment. An endurance athlete may be more likely to consider using the first mechanism. In contrast, the latter two would more likely be used by athletes participating in strength and power competitions and events requiring arousal and alertness (Powers M, 2004, pg. 4)^[9]". Caffeine may be absorbed in several ways and can be administered orally, through injections administered either subcutaneously or intramuscularly, or by suppositories. "The actions of caffeine throughout the body correlate positively with caffeine levels, and the levels are governed by caffeine absorption, metabolism and excretion. Caffeine is absorbed efficiently through the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration with about 100% bioavailability (Sinclair & Geiger, 2000, pg. 2)^[10]". Speed/Power in Long-Term Exercise Few studies have been conducted to evaluate caffeine's effects on speed or endurance events. Early studies found improvements in repeated jumping, bench stepping, cycling, and treadmill tests. Researchers have studied elite skiers on a 20-23 km course at high and low altitudes. The caffeine ingestion resulted in faster performance times at the halfway mark and the finish line. The total time was about 55-67 minutes, while caffeine resulted in 33 and 101 seconds faster for low and high altitudes. Another study explained an individual who performed 2 hours of cycle exercise after caffeine ingestion. The caffeinated athletes generated a 7.3% greater total power output. Skilled cyclists were told to perform, as quickly as possible, a set amount of work that was estimated to take about an hour. After exercising to exhaustion, seven endurance cyclists were given either a straight carbohydrate drink or one laced with the equivalent of six cups of coffee. "While it's been established that carbohydrates and caffeine improve a variety of athletic performances, this is the first study that has revealed that combining caffeine with carbohydrates after you have exercised can help your muscles refuel more rapidly (Caffeine Aids Athlete Recovery, 2008, pg. 1)^[4]". When the solution contained caffeine, the power output improvement was bigger. Endurance in Short-Term, Intense Exercise Endurance, in short, intense exercise, is challenging to measure. Therefore, it has received less attention. One study showed that training resulted in rapid exhaustion within 6 minutes, and caffeine did not affect it. Two other studies demonstrated participants exercising for 15 to 20 minutes had a slight increase in endurance (0.3 to 0.5 minutes) after consuming caffeine. Caffeine has positive effects or causes no significant improvement to short-term, intense exercise. Power in Short-Term, Intense Exercise The ability to perform at high intensity has been examined in several studies. Dr Collomp studied swimmers who swam 100m freestyle. In additional research, participants simulated a 1500m run, and coffee ingestion produced a 4.2 seconds improvement in running speed. Caffeine ingestion significantly improved the meantime of highly trained simmers by about 1 second, while untrained athletes showed no improvement. The results are more inconsistent when shorter duration activities are examined, probably because the potential gain is small and difficult to measure. These areas are not well studied, but it appears exercise lasting at least 60 seconds proves caffeine as an ergogenic aid, and no studies are showing adverse effects. Muscle Glycogen It has been found that caffeine results in glycogen sparing. Professor John Hawley, Head of RMIT's Exercise Metabolism Group, found that athletes who had caffeine with their meal after exercise had 66% more glycogen in their muscles 4 hours later (Caffeine Aids Athlete Recovery, 2008)^[4]. Glycogen is the body's preferred fuel for muscles when exercising. Hawley Stated, "If you have 66% more fuel for the next day's training or competition, there's no question you will be able to go further and faster (Caffeine Aids Athlete Recovery, 2008, pg. 1)^[4]". Many experiments last less than 30 minutes in which caffeine is beneficial when glycogen does not appear to be limiting. Conclusion Caffeine is a complex substance found in many organic compounds and is consumed by humans in coffee, tea, and chocolate. Caffeine is the most commonly used drug in the world. Food industries are adding caffeine to a wide variety of foods and drinks. Caffeine is found in many 'natural health products' and many over-the-counter drugs. The effect caffeine has on the body ranges from various adenosine receptors in several body tissues. Caffeine is ergogenic in most if not all aerobic exercises. Studies have shown that caffeine enhances endurance-type exercises such as running, swimming, cycling, and tennis as an ergogenic aid. Studies have shown that caffeine also provides benefits in anaerobic activities such as resistance training. Olympic committees are debating whether or not caffeine should be tested before the Olympic Games because of its ergogenic effects. "Glucose recovery slows drastically after 3-4 hours, so recovery rates after 4 hours are excellent proxies for glycogen storage 24 hours after exercise. If you have 66% more fuel for the next day's training or competition, there's no question you will be able to go further and faster (Caffeine Aids Athlete Recovery, 2008, pg. 1)^[4]". So far, there has been little evidence demonstrating that the administration of caffeine substances before or after exercise produces a negative effect. Many scientists have conducted several tests and experiments to determine caffeine's effects and continue researching caffeine as an ergogenic aid. One article stated, "The mechanisms involved in the actions of these compounds are varied and complex and extend well beyond the traditional explanation of sparing of muscle glycogen to involve fundamental aspects of muscle contractility probably." References ANTONIO, J. (2004) Caffeine: The Forgotten Ergogenic Aid. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 26 (6), p. 50-51 APPLEGATE, E. and GRIVETTI, L. (1997) Search for the competitive edge: A History of dietary fads and supplements. The Journal of Nutrition: 1996 ASNS Symposium Proceedings, 127 (5), p. 869-873 BEAVEN, C. et al. (2008) Dose Effect of Caffeine on Testosterone and Cortisol Responses to Resistance Exercise. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 18 (2), p. 131-141 Caffeine Aids Athlete Recovery (2008) Australasian Science 1 Sep. 2008: ProQuest Education Journals. ProQuest. Karl E. Mundt Library, Madison, SD. 29 Jan. 2009 https://www.proquest.com/ CLARK, N. (2005) Caffeine and Performance. Palaestra 1 Oct. 2005: 46. Research Library. ProQuest. Karl E. Mundt Library, Madison GRAHAM, T. (2001) Caffeine and Exercise: Metabolism, Endurance and Performance. Sports Medicine 31 (11), p. 785-807. JENKINSON, D. and HARBERT, A. (2008) Supplements and Sports. American Family Physician, 78 (9), p. 1039-1046. McNAUGHTON, L. et al. (2008) The effects of caffeine ingestion on time trial cycling performance. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 48 (3), p. 320-325. POWERS, M. (2004) "Safety, Efficacy, and Legal Issues Related to DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS", Strategies, 18 (1), p. 30-34. SINCLAIR, C. and GEIGER, J. (2000) Caffeine use in sports: A pharmacological review. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 40 (1), p. 71-79. WALLACE, S. (2006) A Comparison of Caffeinated Drinks [Photograph] [WWW] Available from: https://biolife.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/caffeinated-drink-comparison.jpg [Accessed December 4, 2009] Page Reference If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is: McDANIEL, L. et al. (2009) The Effects of Caffeine on Performance in Sports [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article058.htm [Accessed About the Authors Larry W. McDaniel Ed.D. is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science at Dakota State University Madison, SD. USA. Dr McDaniel was a First Team All-American football player (USA Football), a Hall of Fame Athlete, and Hall of Fame Wrestling Coach. Allen Jackson, M. Ed. is an Assistant Professor of Physical Education and Health at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska (USA). He is well known for his presentations and publications at international conferences focusing on Leadership, Curriculum, and Health. Laura Gaudet, Ph.D. is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Counselling, Psychology, and Social Work at Chadron State College, Chadron NE. Dr Gaudet is well known for her publications and presentations at international conferences focusing on various topics psychology. Kyle McIntire & Carmyn Streitz of Dakota State University are outstanding athletes and students of Exercise Science.