CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY NEBRASKA
Frank Ayala
4/29/2013
HHP 399

Caffeine: A performing Enhancing Drug?
Introduction
Background
The consumption of caffeine is part of our daily life, although most people do not realize it
.
The Food and Drug Administration (2009) estimated that about 80% of adults consume an average of 200mg of caffeine daily The Food and Drug Administration recommends that we should not consume more than 600mg of caffeine a day. The World Anti-Doping Agency (2013) has caffeine listed as a stimulant which is a substance that raises levels of physiological or nervous activity in the body. Now, many people consume caffeine to get through their daily routine, but what if an athlete used it to get an advantage? The World Anti-Doping Agency keeps a close for watch any drugs used by an athlete to heighten their abilities in the performance of their sport, which defines a performance enhancer. In today’s society, athletes are always looking to take their abilities to the next level and many turn towards the use of caffeine. As mentioned earlier caffeine is in a majority of products including coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks and pre-workout supplements. The amount of caffeine varies depending on the product you choose.
A few cups of coffee or soda could put you over the recommended 600mg a day mark for caffeine consumption which could affect your body in several different ways, especially in athletics. Caffeine is not banned by the World anti-Doping Agency, but it is monitored closely for abuse throughout many sport organizations.
Literature Review
The research conducted prior to administering the survey aimed to seek the effects of caffeine on athletic performance
.
There are many proposed benefits of caffeine on athletic
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Caffeine: A performing Enhancing Drug? performance, Louise Burke (2008) goes to state that it promotes endurance to where it prolongs the athlete’s capacity to undertake the physical and mental components of their workout
(p.1328). Other benefits that Burke mentions are in the areas of wakefulness and alertness. This is due to stimulation of the central nervous system which then stimulates the rest of the body.
With the stimulation of the whole body, muscles get increased blood flow which results in the alertness that Burke mentioned. These benefits can give a clear advantage when dealing with athletics and competition. A split second can change any outcome of an athletic event that is why athletes must be alert and ready.
As far as the physical effects of caffeine it is shown to promote endurance in athletes. In a study conducted by A. Nehlig and G. derby (1994) they found that caffeine is able to improve physical performance and endurance during prolonged activity of submaximal intensity. Nehlig and Derby credit prolonged activity to glycogen sparing, resulting from an increased rate of lipolysis. Since glycogen is the main source of fuel for the body it is usually used up first, resulting in fat or lipids to be used second. The consumption of caffeine allows for this process to be reversed, using lipids first then glycogen second resulting in prolonged activity.
As mentioned earlier caffeine is part of our daily lives and it is in a majority of products.
In a study dealing with the use of pre-workout supplements, Anne Eudy and Lindsay Gordan
(2013) saw a 31% increase in running to exhaustion after 300mg of caffeine was consumed 1 hour before running. Eudy and Gordan mention that anywhere from 100mg-500mg of caffeine before working out can have beneficial effects, but anything over 500mg may have negative side effects. With the average pre-workout supplement containing 270 mg of caffeine per serving you can see where this may be easily attainable (FDA, 2009).
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Caffeine: A performing Enhancing Drug?
The other way that caffeine may be consumed very easily is through energy drinks.
Although other research shows caffeine improves performance, Fred Fornicola (2007) states that there is no way to completely tell how a dose of caffeine will affect the body. The build of the athlete impacts the way caffeine works, which may ultimately result in just a placebo effect
(Fornicola, 2007). Although the average energy drink and coffee contain 160 mg per serving according to the FDA, any dosage may be altering the performance of athletes that consume it.
Statement of the problem
The first thing that needs to be done is to have a clear cut definition of the negative and positive effects of caffeine in athletic performance. The second thing that needs to be done is to have a precise dosage amount that shows clear evidence of performance enhancing characteristics. The reasons for these problems are that everyone is different in the way their bodies react to caffeine.
Age, weight, and muscle to fat mass ratio all play a key role in the way the body functions.
Purpose of the Study
The ultimate purpose of this study is to ultimately determine if caffeine impacts athletic performance enough to categorize it as a performance enhancing drug.
Significance of the Study
In 2004 the World Anti-Doping Agency removed caffeine from its list of banned substances.
This allowed for future use of caffeine during sports competition and play. Although with high levels of caffeine in a randomized urine sample it may be categorized as abuse. Therefore disciplinary actions may be issued. With athletics being so competitive, especially in the elite levels, (College & Professional) is there an advantage to ingesting caffeine? Now a big reason it
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Caffeine: A performing Enhancing Drug? was taken off the Banned substance list is due to the fact that caffeine being in everyday foods that we consume. With caffeine easily available many athletes may see this as an opportunity to surpass the competition. Competition is supposed to be as fair as possible, and a simple substance such as caffeine may or may not bring an advantage to the person who uses it.
Research Objectives
The research objectives for this study are to (a) determine I caffeine has a significant impact on athletic performance, (b) determine if caffeine provides an advantage of competition, and (c) determine if caffeine should be categorized as a performance enhancing drug.
Method
To gather data for the study a survey was constructed and administered to several student athletes at Concordia University. The survey contained fifteen questions that centered on the topic of caffeinated products. The survey focused on gathering data for three main areas of interest which were: (a) amounts of caffeine consumed, (b) the source of caffeine consumption, and (c) the reasoning for caffeine consumption. This allowed many different aspects of caffeine consumption and how it affects athletic performance to be covered thoroughly. The survey was conducted on paper since the specific population of athletes was ideal for this topic. Between the dates of March 28 th and April 12 th approximately 75 surveys were handed out to Concordia
University athletes on the Concordia University Campus. The survey could have been completed at that time or returned at a later date through campus mail or in person. The distribution of the survey was aimed at both male and female athletes throughout many different sports so that bias data was not collected.
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Caffeine: A performing Enhancing Drug?
Data Collection & Analysis
Throughout the two week period 24 surveys were completed and returned back. The answers for all fifteen questions were tallied up and compared for further interpretation. The data was then split up into the three categories of (a) amounts of caffeine consumed, (b) the source of caffeine consumption, and (c) the reasoning for caffeine consumption.
Results
The results of the survey included answers from 15 males and 9 females. The athletes that returned surveys participated in football, wrestling, men’s track, women’s soccer, softball and volleyball. The average daily participation in organized team sports was 2 hours. All of the respondents admitted to consuming some type of caffeine throughout the day, when asked if they consumed any caffeinated products before athletic participation, 11 males and 6 females answered yes to this question. They reported pre-workout, energy drinks and coffee as the main sources of their caffeine consumption. Out of the 11 males who consumed caffeine, 9 used preworkout as their source and 2 used energy drinks as their source. Out of the 6 females who consumed caffeine, 3 stated energy drinks as their source and 3 stated coffee as their source of caffeine.
The average caffeine content per source broke down to pre-workout 270mg per serving, energy drink 160mg per 16 oz. and coffee 170mg per 12 oz. When asked their reasoning for consuming caffeine, the most common answers were; increase in focus, energy, endurance, strength, metabolism and awareness. With that being said 53 percent of the population who consumed caffeine thought that it did not give them a competitive advantage. When asked what the negative side effects of caffeine consumption were, the most common answers were jitters,
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Caffeine: A performing Enhancing Drug? dependency, sleep deprivation and ultimately a crash after working out. When asked if they thought caffeine should be allowed to be taken during athletic participation all but 2 said yes.
When asked if caffeine should be considered a performance enhancer, 20 said no 3 said yes but legal and one said yes.
Discussion & Recommendations
After examining the data collected from the surveys I was surprised with a few of the statistics that were found. I thought there would have been more sources of caffeine consumed, but take into account that it must be quick and fast acting the three mentioned are appropriate.
The amount of participant’s who consumed caffeine before participation was about what I thought it was going to be. The previous research that I conducted matched the benefits that were listed by the participants in my survey. The common answers of increased energy, focus and endurance from consuming caffeine were the same benefits that are listed throughout the literature review. Although the negatives of consuming caffeine were also very alarming, with sleep deprivation, jitters and dependency being very serious side effects. Although consuming caffeine may have its benefits, these side effects may impact your athletic performance in the long run. If you are not getting enough sleep at night that will greatly impact the way you perform, no matter how much caffeine you consume. I also thought that there would have been a greater population who thought caffeine gave them a competitive advantage. There were only
47% of the surveys who thought it gave them an advantage during competition.
The research that I conducted previously along with my survey allowed me to answer my research objectives. Does caffeine have a significant impact on athletic performance? I can conclude from my research that it in fact does have a significant impact on athletic performance.
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Caffeine: A performing Enhancing Drug?
It allows for the athlete to train longer and with greater focus. Does caffeine allow for a competitive advantage? The answer to this question goes hand in hand with the first question.
When athletes consume caffeine, it allows for their body to be push past its normal threshold.
Therefore, having an advantage on competition who does not consume caffeine during athletic participation. Should caffeine be considered a performing enhancing drug? Yes, Consumption of caffeine allows for the abilities of the athletes body to be enhanced, therefore technically matching the definition of a performance enhancing drug. Although I believe that it does not have the same effect as all the other banned performance enhancing drugs. Taken in moderation should be allowed since it is in a majority of the products we consume daily. It should continue to be monitored by the World Anti-Doping Agency so that it is not abused by athletes.
Other recommendations that would be appropriate for this topic would be to get a larger population of athletes from different regions of the world. Along with hat I would have liked to have more of a variety in sport participation. A mix between endurance and short distance athletes would have gotten different perspectives on the way caffeine affects their performance.
This sample was limited to only 24 participants at a small private university. Therefore this conclusion may not reflect the actual effect of caffeine on athletic performance. Although further clinical research should be done on the physical and physiological effects of caffeine on the body.
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Caffeine: A performing Enhancing Drug?
March 28 th
, 2013
Dear Concordia student Athlete,
I am contacting you to ask for your assistance in assessing the effects of caffeine among intercollegiate athletes at the NAIA level. Attached is a survey will be conducted to learn the amounts of caffeine consumed, the source of caffeine consumption and the reasoning for caffeine consumption.. As an athlete at Concordia University Nebraska, you have been chosen to participate in the survey.
The survey should take 15-20 minutes to complete. Your privacy is important to me. I will not sell or give any of your personal information to anyone, under any circumstance. The survey is voluntary. Responses are confidential and will only be used for statistical purposes. Please complete the survey by Friday, April 12 th
, 2013. You may either drop the completed survey off in campus mail, or contact me to pick it up. A completed survey conveys your consent to voluntarily participate. If you should have any questions about the survey contact me at frank.ayala@cune.org
.
Thank you for taking a few minutes to help me assess the caffeine use among intercollegiate athletes at the NAIA level.
Enjoy the survey! I look forward to reading your responses!
Sincerely,
Frank Ayala
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Caffeine: A performing Enhancing Drug?
Survey Questions
1. How old are you?
2. What is your Gender? M / F
3. Please specify what sport(s) you participate in?
4. How many hours per day on average do you participate in your sport? (practice and competition)
5. Do you consider yourself someone who consumes caffeinated products daily? If so how much per day? (Rough Estimate)
6. Do you consume any caffeine products (Pre-workout, Soda, Energy drinks etc.) before athletic participation? If so could you name what you take?
7. Do you feel that this gives you a competitive edge in training and over your opponents? If
Yes, in what way(s)?
8. Do you consume caffeinated products before actual competition, why or why not?
9. Do you think caffeinated products give you a mental or physical boost? If so what kind?
10. What are some of the benefits that you experience from consuming caffeinated products?
11. Do you feel that you perform better with or without caffeinated products during physical activity?
12. Are there any negative side effects that you have experienced from consuming caffeinated products before physical activity?
13. Do you believe that caffeine could possibly affect your performance in a negative way?
14. Do you think that caffeinated products should be allowed to be taken while participation in sports?
15. Do you believe that caffeinated products should be considered a performance enhancer?
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Caffeine: A performing Enhancing Drug?
Reference Page
FDA . (2009, December 30). Retrieved April 19, 2013, from U.S. Deparment of Health and
Human Services: http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Transparency/Basics/ucm194317.htm
World Anti-Doping Agency . (2013, February). Retrieved April 17, 2013, from WADA: http://www.wada-ama.org/en/
Anne, E., & Gordan, L. (2013, April 1). Efficacy and safety of ingredients found. American
Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 70 (7), 577-588.
Burke, L. (2008, December). Caffeine and Sport Performance. Applied Physiology, Nutrition &
Metabolism, 33 (6), 1319-1334.
Fornicola, F. (2007, may). Energy Drinks; Whats the Buzz About? Coach & Athletic Director,
76 (10), 38-43.
Nehlig, A., & Derby, G. (1994). Caffeine and sports activity: a review. Journal of the Canadian
Chiropractic , 236-238.
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