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Working from home may feel like a dream come true: no more commuting? more time with your dog? getting to wear PJ bottoms all day? Sign me up!
Read More “How to Keep Your Brain Focused and Fueled While Working from Home”
Caffeine is a tool that I use on days when I run or play soccer. I certainly do find a benefit to consuming caffeine before and during these periods of physical activity. However, I am also aware that it is important to be mindful of my caffeine consumption.
Today we’re talking about the role of caffeine in physical activity – why it’s beneficial, how to use it and when to use it.
As part of Caffeine Awareness Month. I’m teaming up with the Canadian Beverage Association to present this information to you today!
What Is Caffeine
Caffeine is one of the world’s favourites “pick me ups” and has known and loved benefits such as decreasing fatigue, increasing focus and concentration. In fact, coffee, tea and tap-water are the most commonly consumed beverages by Canadians, between the ages of 18-79. As well, more than 29 million servings of coffee were consumed in Canada in 2015.
Caffeine is found naturally found in 60 different plants, including coffee beans, cola nuts, guarana nuts and yerba mate. It can also be synthetically produced and added to soft drinks, energy drinks, dietary supplements and energy bars.
Although there are some health benefits, including enhancing physical activity performance, caffeine should be consumed in moderation to ensure optimal functionality and sleep hygiene.
Caffeine and Physical Activity
Caffeine is a popular ergogenic acid, and is widely used by athletes at all levels. An ergogenic acid is a substance that enhances energy production and performance in physical activity. The performance-enhancing effects of caffeine have been studied for over 100 years. The ergogenic effects of caffeine appear to result from antagonistic interactions with adenosine receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems, increasing central drive and reducing the perception of effort and pain during exercise.
How Much Caffeine To Have Before and During Physical Activity
General caffeine guidelines recommend the consumption of 3-6 mg/kg of caffeine, typically 60 minutes before the start of exercise.
For me, that is 177 mg to about 350 mg. However, there is certainly inter-individual variation in response to this standardized protocol. Some athletes are more caffeine sensitive than others. I personally, don’t think I would do well with consuming 350 mg of caffeine before exercise, as I am more caffeine sensitive and that is getting close to the upper limit of the recommended amount of caffeine per day, established by Health Canada, which is 400 mg/day. The degree of caffeine sensitivity/ tolerance could be explained by genetic variations, related to caffeine metabolism or adenosine receptor density.
Additional research has found that that moderate to high caffeine doses (5–9 mg/kg body mass (bm)), ingested before and during exercise, increase endurance performance in laboratory and field settings. These doses are associated with increased heart rate and blood catecholamine, lactate, free fatty acid and glycerol levels in many subjects. However, side effects that often occur include gastrointestinal upset, nervousness, mental confusion, inability to focus and disturbed sleep.
Lower caffeine doses (<3 mg/kg bm ~200 mg) taken before, during and late in exercise also increase endurance performance, and do not cause the physiological changes and side effects noted above in most individuals.
I’ve certainly felt the effect of too much caffeine – which has impacted my sleep quality and levels of anxiety. If I am anxious or sleep-deprived before playing soccer, I don’t perform as well!
Caffeine Use In Soccer
Caffeine is an ergogenic in many forms of short-term high-intensity exercise and team stop-and-go sports, where anaerobic energy provision plays a significant role in performance success – such as soccer!
In research specifically related to soccer, acute caffeine intake in a moderate dose (1.5 to 7mg/kg before exercise has the capacity to improve several soccer-related abilities and skills such as vertical jump height, repeated sprint ability, running distances during a game and passing accuracy.
It should be noted that doses up to 7 mg/kg would provide more than the recommended amount of caffeine/day. Please still follow the recommended caffeine amounts presented in guidelines from Health Canada.
Caffeine Use In Running
Caffeine has been shown to positively impact endurance performance in sports such as running. Research has demonstrated that caffeine has a small but evident effect on endurance performance when taken in moderate doses (3–6 mg/kg) as well as an overall improvement following caffeine compared to placebo in mean power output and time-trial completion time.
It is also likely helpful to consume caffeine during a long run or race. Greater responsiveness to small amount of caffeine (2-3 mg/kg) may be seen when it is taken during a race, around the onset of fatigue.
How I Use Caffeine In Physical Activity
I have been running and playing soccer for years, so I have been able to experiment with different amounts of caffeine consumption before and during exercise. I usually consume two cups of homebrewed coffee (~ 200 mg of caffeine) before my run and before soccer. As I am currently training for a full marathon in May, I do find it is helpful to consume additional caffeine during my long runs (which are 2 hours +). I will typically consume that caffeine in the form of energy gels, that contain another 100 mg of caffeine. This has helped reduce fatigue for me and helped with endurance during my long runs.
Bottom Line:
Caffeine is an effective ergogenic acid during physical activity, helping to reduce fatigue and enhance performance. However, it is important to be mindful of caffeine intake so that we don’t exceed the 400 mg/day or 300 mg during pregnancy.
There is certainly an misconception that if you don’t eat meat, than you can’t get enough protein – but this is so far from the truth!
I’m going to show you how I get over 100 grams of protein, without eating any meat!
*Note that everyone’s protein needs are different. I usually try to aim for around 80-90 grams of protein a day, based on my weight and physical activity level. More on your protein needs below.
This post is sponsored by my favourite new way to add protein to my breakfast meal: Allo Protein Powder for Hot Coffee! Out of all my meals, I struggle to get enough protein at breakfast the most, as I try to aim for 20-30 g of protein per meal. I have been using the Allo Nutrition Protein powder in my morning coffee to give me 10 grams of protein – and it mixes in so seamlessly while maintaining the integrity of your black coffee! Watch me mix it into my coffee during this during this TikTok video. The flavours are sugar free, gluten-free and clump free. A really great option for busy people on the go, who may need a protein boost! They are from my home city, Toronto, which makes me love them even more. Check them out at @alloyourcoffee on social!
Why do we care about protein anyways?
Let’s first discuss what protein is. Protein is made of amino acids, which your body uses for basic functions like maintaining hair, skin, nails, and bones, and producing hormones, enzymes, and other chemicals. Protein is involved in basically every bodily process.
It’s also a necessary macronutrient for the building and repair of muscles. Not getting enough protein can lead to muscle wasting, fractures, and susceptibility to infection. Protein deficiency is extremely rare, as long as you’re consuming enough calories. Protein also helps us feel fuller for longer by releasing GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) and CCK (cholecystokinin) – both proteins that play a role in satiety. Protein also decreases levels of a hormone called neuropeptide Y, which can increase hunger.
Before we get into talking about the building blocks of protein, let’s touch on how our body uses protein. When we eat protein – whether it’s a chicken breast or tofu – amino acids are coiled into chains in the shape of helixes. During digestion, these helixes are uncoiled in the stomach, and the chains that make up that protein are broken up into smaller chains by enzymes in the stomach. These chains are then broken up further into individual amino acids in the small intestine by enzymes called proteases. The amino acids are then absorbed into the bloodstream and transported around the body to be used in various functions (as listed above).
So how much protein do we need in a day?
Protein requirements depend on factors such as body composition, activity level, weight, disease state, etc. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that people should have around 0.8 to one gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, research has evolved since then. A study done in 2012 by Bray et al. in a metabolic ward found that 1.4 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight was the sweet spot for protein intake – meaning that a lower protein intake resulted in more lean body mass loss and protein intake over 1.8 g per kg didn’t make much of a difference in composition.
In a 2018 review of studies by Schoenfeld & Aragon, the consensus was 0.4 grams of protein per kilogram per meal, which works out to about 20 to 30 grams – but this was also recommended four times a day. If you like to eat three meals a day, you can make up the rest of your protein needs in snacks.
For athletes, the latest recommendations from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) are that athletes should be getting between 1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram bodyweight of protein. This also depends on the type and intensity of training. It’s also best to consume protein throughout the day, especially within 30 minutes following a workout, to optimize its benefit on recovery, repair, and muscle growth. You can read more about the ISSN’s recommendations about protein in the required readings below.
Another important thing to note is that it’s not just the total amount of protein in a day that matters, but it’s also the protein timing. Several researches have found that consuming a minimum of 20 to 30 grams of protein at each meal promotes fullness and preserve muscle mass, better than smaller amounts of protein eaten throughout the day (Deutz & Wolfe, 2013).
Alright, that being said, this is how I meet my protein needs in a day!
A snack is always complete with a crunchy and sweet apple treat! Today I’m showcasing three simple apple recipes, that help to control your sweet tooth!
This post was developed in partnership with Ontario Apple Growers and Produce Made Simple. Ontario apples can be enjoyed all year round and really are the perfect snack – no prep work required! However, these three snacks that I have here don’t take any time at all to make. Which one would you try?
Caffeine is certainly in my daily meal plan! I don’t think I would be as productive in a day without my morning and afternoon coffee. Especially with Daylight Savings Time approaching, I will be leaning on caffeine a bit more to assist me with alertness. Many use caffeine to cope with this time change! However, we should all be aware that it is important to be mindful of our caffeine consumption.
Do you know how much caffeine that you’re having in a day? What is caffeine anyways, and how can it impact your health?
If you have these questions, I’m breaking them all down, as part of Caffeine Awareness Month. I’m teaming up with the Canadian Beverage Association to present this information to you today!
What Is Caffeine
Caffeine is one of the world’s favourites “pick me ups” and has known and loved benefits such as decreasing fatigue, increasing focus and concentration. In fact, coffee, tea and tap-water are the most commonly consumed beverages by Canadians, between the ages of 18-79. As well, more than 29 million servings of coffee were consumed in Canada in 2015.
Caffeine is a bitter alkaloid that is naturally found in 60 different plants, including coffee beans, cola nuts, guarana nuts and yerba mate. It can also be synthetically produced and added to soft drinks, energy drinks, dietary supplements and energy bars.
Although there are some health benefits, caffeine should be consumed in moderation to ensure optimal functionality and sleep hygiene.
Health Benefits of Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant and it works by temporarily blocking the systems that slow us down. Due to it being a stimulant, it can help improve physical performance and cognitive function.
In fact, it has been found that caffeine before exercise in doses of about 200 mg improve endurance performance, team sport performance and high intensity-type activities (sprints, weight lifting) with little to no risk of side effects at that level of consumption.
In terms of long term health benefits, the following have been found in the literature:
However, it is important not to get too excited about the health benefits of caffeine, as too much is not always a good thing. Risks of too much caffeine intake include:
How Much Is Safe?
Health Canada, the Food and Drug Association FDA, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) consider 400mg of caffeine to be a safe moderate consumption for the healthy average adult (excluding pregnant and breastfeeding people). EFSA also considers 200mg of caffeine to be a safe single dose of caffeine that most consumers can consume without negative effect (even before sport).
Health Canada recommends that pregnant women or women of childbearing age keep their caffeine intake below 300 mg.
Where Is Caffeine Found?
Source: Canadian Beverage Association
How much caffeine is found in common beverages?
Coffee (per cup)
Tea (per cup)
Cola
Chocolate products
Energy Drinks:
Tracking Your Caffeine Intake
It may be an interesting exercise to track how much caffeine that you are having in a day – to get a picture of your typical caffeine consumption. I used an app called HiCoffee for a week to track what I was consuming for caffeine in a day and my caffeine intake surprised me! I thought I was consuming under 400 mg of caffeine most days, however there were a few days that I was consuming 500 & 600 mg of caffeine!
I suggest that you try out an app like this. With daylight savings time approaching, this may be a good time to try it out, as our caffeine intake may increase!
Bottom Line:
Caffeine has health benefits and can assist with alertness, especially during the Daylight Savings ‘Spring Forward’ Time. However, it is important to be mindful of caffeine intake so that we don’t exceed the 400 mg/day or 300 mg during pregnancy. Potential negative effects of caffeine can range from increased anxiety to sleep deprivation.
As the weather gets colder, I’m craving ALL the comfort food. Pasta, Pancakes and Breakfast Food are my comfort foods – what are yours?
Looking for an easy, no-head weekday lunch? Look no further than these Bento Box Lunches! Which would you try?