| Author | Message | ||
     Robh Senior Member Username: Robh Post Number: 489 Registered: 12-2007 |
Question asked on UK forum :- "Here's the thing. When I train in the lab I do it 'eau naturelle'. That's no caffeine, carbohydrate sports drinks or anything, just usually a bottle of water by my side and an MP3 player in my ear. What I've noticed on the odd occasion when I've had the recommended 5mg/kg of caffeine and sucked on a sweet throughout whatever workout I'm doing, power is usually in the order of 15 W up on the natural state. This got me thinking last night; if I did this for every workout so that they were all 15 W up, would I get a better training effect and therefore greater adaptations. I mean, I know that caffeine is suggested to work at the central nervous system level, amongst other things, as does the having a sweet in your mouth idea. If the CNS is stimulated to this extent, thus allowing the body to produce more power, surely what ever it is that's producing more power will create an environment for me (us) to adapt better and get faster (more powerful) in the long run The downside is having to consume stuff on a regular basis to train with which I don't like the idea of. Caffeine late afternoon for a training session and I'll be watching DVDs until 3 in the morning trying to nod off. Also, it means that if I do a test to set training zones, I'll have to do that whilst of my face on caffeine too otherwise I'll have an inaccurate set of training zones" | ||
| Robh Senior Member Username: Robh Post Number: 490 Registered: 12-2007 |
I like this reply  reragrding the higher powerout output being much better. "You'd have to be using caffeine for every (important) session which would reduce it's effects by the time you come to race - you wouldn't get quite the same 'boost' as you'd be more used to it being in your system right? Remember it's not the power you put out in the lab that's the most important, save that for racing. Interesting idea though Doing 6 x 4 at 330W has got to be better than doing 6 x 4 at 315W right?" | ||
| Robh Senior Member Username: Robh Post Number: 491 Registered: 12-2007 |
The question being asked is from an exercise phsyiologist in a uk university. It's good he's asking questions. | ||
| Juerg Senior Member Username: Juerg Post Number: 1953 Registered: 04-2006 |
Rob , thanks for that contribution. It is a beautiful example, again , that the same wattage performance is not always the same physiological performance, as it depends on the physiological systems on how they can contribute to the performance. So the question from the physiologist is a very true one. If we use physiological parameters and bio markers we actually would not have this question, because we would look on physiological responses to the influence of caffeine and if the wattage are higher but the physiological zoning is in the range we plan to work out we don't really worry ,as it is the same situation caused by other influences like heat or dehydration or wind or any other influence. This is why physiological zoning may have its proper place in training control. The question whether it is a benefit to train with or without caffeine will be as well answered , when we see, what system will be pushed on its limit. Similar was the idea of circadian influence of day times. We discussed there, that we may have a lower HR at certain times of the day due to mainly hormonal reactions. The suggestion was to train when we have the best wattage performance. I would argue that it does not matter when and if we use this info we would be better on, when we are at the worst physical performance, as we have the easiest way than to stress the weakest link with the smallest amount of effort. Last but not least the effect of caffeine in the latest studies show, that the reason of increased performance is caused by the effect of caffeine to release higher amounts of Ca++ which than produces a higher muscle contraction influence and in case of the heart muscles actually could lead to AF in some cases. The increase of Ca++ release has a short term benefit but may have some long term negative effect ( bone density - osteoporosis and stress fracture. ) Some of the tour de france studies done prior and after the tour show a dramatic loss of bone density in cyclists and may be contributed to two possible reasons. 1. Caffeine intake over supplements 2. Corticosteroids intake Overload and a change in testosterone /Cortisol ratio Summary . As wattage has nothing to do with physiological reactions it is clear why the physiologist has this questions. The answer which has to be discussed is the use of physiological zoning so we have an idea what sysytem we at a training unit really go and overload for improvement purposes. |