Caffeine and Performance in Ultrarunning

By Jason Koop
CTS Coaching Director, Author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning

Several years ago while pacing my wife during the latter stages of the Run Rabbit Run 100 I vividly remember stumbling upon a ream of a dozen 200-mg caffeine pills. I wondered whether the runner who dropped the package was simply lazy and had not cut the foil-constrained ream down into more realistic chunks of a few pills, or actually intended to use all 2,400 mg of caffeine over the last 20 miles of the race. Because ultrarunners are a somewhat obsessive group, I assumed the latter. That would have been a sight! I’m glad I found the pills, and not an amped-up arrhythmic runner.

Can Caffeine Actually Improve Performance?

It turns out that caffeine can do more than help you wake up in the morning or beat afternoon sluggishness; it can act as an effective ergogenic aid when used appropriately. In a systematic review of 21 studies, researchers discovered around a 3.2% improvement in endurance performance (time trial performance, not time to exhaustion) with caffeine ingestion1.

In addition to enhancing longer endurance performance, caffeine has been shown to improve efforts around 5 minutes in length at 90 to 100% of maximal oxygen uptake2. New research even indicates there’s a genetic component to how you respond to caffeine. More on that later.

How Caffeine Improves Exercise Performance

While there has not been much doubt to the effectiveness of caffeine for endurance athletes, the mechanism by which it improves performance is less clear. A leading theory is that caffeine affects the brain and central nervous system, increasing alertness and focus and modulating central fatigue. Caffeine has also been shown to increase fat utilization in working muscles, thereby sparing muscle glycogen. This appears to have a more minor impact on performance, but it is measurable nonetheless.

How Genes Influence Individual Response to Caffeine

An athlete’s response to caffeine is related to how quickly it is metabolized in the body, and that rate is at least partly controlled by genetics. Those who metabolize caffeine more quickly experience the ergogenic effects of caffeine sooner after ingestion, the effects may ramp up more quickly, and you may reach the peak effect of caffeine sooner than athletes who metabolize caffeine more slowly. The effects of caffeine will subside sooner, as well. People who metabolize caffeine more slowly experience a more gradual ramp up of ergogenic effects, often respond to a lower amount of caffeine (have greater sensitivity to caffeine), and the effects of caffeine tend to last longer for this group. Slow metabolizers are the folks who don’t want to consume caffeine late in the afternoon because it keeps them up all night. Fast metabolizers can consume caffeine multiple times a day because the effects are shorter-lived.

For a long time, people have used simple trial and error to figure out how they respond to caffeine. Genetic testing adds a layer of data to this process and can help you optimize how and when you consume caffeine to achieve the ergogenic effect you’re after.

Caffeine and Ultrarunning

Caffeine supplementation in ultrarunning can be used in two ways: to acutely enhance your performance or as a stimulant specifically to stay awake and alert.

Caffeine as a performance enhancer

Caffeine supplementation starts with your morning cup of coffee on race day. If you regularly drink a cup or two a day, feel free to enjoy a similar amount as you go through your pre-race or pre-workout routine. This supplementation then changes, based on the race distance you are about to undertake.

For shorter races lasting less than six hours, you can supplement with occasional caffeine, up to 50 mg in any particular hour for the entire race. The supplementation should mainly come from caffeinated gels, chews, and colas. If you typically have coffee in the morning, caffeine from the coffee should be enough for the first two to three hours of the race. Therefore, I suggest waiting until after the second or third hour to start supplementing with caffeine in other forms. Furthermore, the dose-response from caffeine as it relates to endurance performance is not linear, meaning that moderate doses of caffeine are likely to have the same performance effect as higher doses (Graham and Spriet 1995). More isn’t always better. Thus, a cautious and conservative approach will have the same performance effect as a more aggressive one. As mentioned above, genetics may play a role in how quickly you experience an ergogenic effect from caffeine, and how long that effect may last.

Caffeine to stay awake and alert

Many ultrarunning events go into the night and through the following day. Runners are constantly battling the mythical-yet-real sleep monster, particularly in the wee hours of the morning, before sunrise and after 20 hours on their feet. Caffeine is one of the key pieces of ammunition against the sleep monster, and you can ingest it in many forms: pills, colas, teas, chocolate-covered espresso beans, energy drinks, and caffeinated sports nutrition products. However, when using caffeine as a stimulant to boost your alertness, the timing, rather than the form, is critical.


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For athletes competing in events lasting longer than 24 hours, caffeine is best viewed as a stimulant to stay awake and alert. In these situations, you need to focus on when the stimulation will be needed most, and then supplement at that point. This means starting the day with a normal routine, including pre-race breakfast and coffee if that is what you are accustomed to. But as the race begins, take care to avoid caffeine. Gels, drinks, and foods at this point should all be non-caffeinated. Sometime after midnight, when you expect a visit from the sleep monster, begin your caffeine supplementation. Doses can be as high as 100 mg/hour for three to four hours and can cease shortly after the sun rises, which helps to reset your circadian rhythms.

How Much is Too Much?

The amount of caffeine needed to see performance enhancing effects is in the range of three to six milligrams per kilogram of body mass1. A 75-kilogram (165-pound) athlete, at three milligrams per kilogram of body mass, would want to consume roughly 225mg of caffeine, which is a bit more than what’s in 16 ounces of coffee (200mg). On the high side of the range, the same athlete would aim to consume 450mg of caffeine. What about caffeine pills? They work, and a 1998 study showed they work a bit better than coffee, but in practical scenarios, they make it very easy for an athlete to overdo it with caffeine and experience jitteriness and nausea.

Caffeine May Help Improve Recovery

Caffeine may be able to quicken glycogen replenishment after a workout, but rapid glycogen replenishment is rarely a limiting factor in ultrarunning training. A post-exercise drink with 4 g/kg carbohydrate and 8 mg/kg caffeine showed a 66% increase in glycogen resynthesis when compared to a carbohydrate only drink5. This can be helpful for an athlete doing two workouts a day or on back-to-back days with an evening run the first day and morning run the second day. Typically, however, glycogen stores will be fully replenished within 24 hours from your normal diet, so I’d recommend skipping caffeine unless there’s a well-identified need for adding it to a post-workout nutrition strategy.

What Are the Drawbacks of Caffeine?

It’s important to acknowledge that you can over do it with caffeine and cause more harm than good. Doses of 9 mg/kg or more are likely to impair performance and cause side effects including “…anxiety, jitters, inability to focus, gastrointestinal unrest, insomnia, irritability, and, with higher doses, the risk of heart arrhythmias and mild hallucinations.”2 Ultrarunners can get themselves into trouble with caffeine because of how long you’re on course. Ingesting 9 mg/kg of caffeine (675mg for a 75kg or 165lb athlete) at one time is as ridiculous as it sounds. That would be 3.4 caffeine pills or nearly half a gallon of coffee. However, since it can take up to 60 minutes to reach caffeine’s maximum effect on performance and alertness, and these effects can last for hours, athletes can unwittingly overload on caffeine by consuming reasonable amounts too frequently. It is not uncommon for athletes to make the mistake of continually a little more caffeine will help them stay alert in the last few hours of an ultramarathon, only to experience the negative effects of overconsumption instead.

An Ultrarunner’s Action Plan to See Benefits From Caffeine

  1. Test different amounts of caffeine in training to see how your body responds. Consider incorporating genetic testing to add context to what you’re seeing from trial and error.
  2. If using caffeine to improve performance in 50km or 50-miler, consume up to 50mg/hr in the second half of your event based on what has worked in training.
  3. If using caffeine to improve alertness during a 100-miler:
    1. Avoid caffeinated products until performance is significantly threatened by feeling tired (not fatigued, but sleepy).
    2. Supplement with the amount shown to work in training, up to about 100mg/hr. Remember that more is not necessarily better.

Ganio, Matthew S; Klau, Jennifer F; Casa, Douglas J; Armstrong, Lawrence E; Maresh, Carl M. Effect of Caffeine on Sport-Specific Endurance Performance: A Systematic Review. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research:January 2009 – Volume 23 – Issue 1 – pp 315-324

Spriet, Lawrence L. “Exercise and Sport Performance with Low Doses of Caffeine.” Sports Medicine 44.S2 (2014): 175-84.

Lopes JM, Aubier M, Jardim J, Aranda JV, Macklem PT: Effect of caffeine on skeletal muscle function before and after fatigue. J Appl Physiol: Respirat Environ Exercise Physiol. 1983, 54: 1303-1305.

Graham TE, Hibbert E, Sathasivam P: Metabolic and exercise endurance effects of coffee and caffeine ingestion. J Appl Physiol. 1998, 85: 883-889.

Pedersen DJ, Lessard SJ, Coffey VG, Churchley EG, Wootton AM, Ng T, Watt MJ, Hawley JA: High rate of muscle glycogen resynthesis after exhaustive exercise when carbohydrate is coingested with caffeine. J Appl Physiol. 2008, 105: 7-13. 10.1152/japplphysiol.01121.2007.

Comments 21

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  3. “The amount of caffeine needed to see performance enhancing effects is in the range of three to six milligrams per kilogram of body mass1. A 75-kilogram (165-pound) athlete, at three milligrams per kilogram of body mass, would want to consume roughly 225mg of caffeine, which is a bit more than what’s in 16 ounces of coffee (200mg). On the high side of the range, the same athlete would aim to consume 450mg of caffeine.”

    Just want to confirm, is the 3 – 6 mg per kg of body mass an hourly rate? I compete in 24 hour events. Don’t have issues staying awake, but looking for a bit more performance. I will tolerate caffeine for an “A” race, but not for training.
    Thanks.
    -Lou

    1. This was my question as well. Seems the author is only responding to questions regarding legality of caffeine and not clarify what seems to be an important omission. Is this amount of caffeine to be taken per hour? Thanks.

    2. I believe this 3-6mg/kg number refers to a pre-performance load in that specific study analysis. There was additional benefit at 1mg/kg per hour during an event as well.

  4. Interesting! actually I thought Caffeine was on the doping list when exceeding 12microgram/ml urine, but it seems it is not any on the list anymore.

    I found an article (sorry in danish): http://www.motion-online.dk/er-kaffe-doping/

    But essentials is that caffeine IS performance enhancing! BUT NOT when taken with Coffee!! claiming that maybe some of the other “stuff” in the coffee inhibits the effect from the caffeine. Whats your opinion on caffeine from coffee?

    1. Post
      Author

      Caffeine was removed from the WADA Prohibited Substances list in 2003. Prior to removing it from the list, the limit was 12 micrograms/ml. In 2017 WADA put caffeine into it’s Monitoring Program, which means they are having experts take a closer look to see if there is a pattern of misuse. Currently, as of January 2018, WADA has not recommended putting caffeine back on the list of banned substances. – Jim Rutberg, CTS

  5. Coffee is clearly a performance enhancer. Caffeine in coffee is physio active component that is the performance enhancer. So where do we draw the line? Other substances in the general class of stimulates are banned and athletes would be considered cheating. 4-5 cups of coffee probably equal 10 mg of Ritalin or 100 mg of Provigil.
    I’m not against coffee and it certainly does improve my performance. I just find it strange to promote it while banning most other substances.

    1. Post
      Author

      Right or wrong, according to an article from AFP in 2003 (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-09-24/caffeine-removed-from-banned-drug-list/1483236), part of WADA’s rationale for removing caffeine from the list of prohibited substances in 2003 was how ubiquitous caffeine is in the foods, beverages, and over-the-counter cold remedies people consume on a regular basis. They sought to avoid inadvertent infractions. – Jim Rutberg, CTS

  6. I’m a cyclist and mountain climber. I have become a big fan of Nunn Energy for long distance workouts/events. They’re an electrolyte and have 40 mg of caffine. And since they don’t have any sugar they won’t muck up your bladder. Yum.

  7. what is a good caffein protocol for a long event like ironman, where you want to maintain the level of the caffein in the body?
    I’m 80kg athlate, i usually take 300 mg caffeine after 1 hour into the bike leg, how do i keep that level until the end of the marathon?

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    1. Post
      Author

      Caffeine was removed from the WADA Prohibited Substances list in 2003. Prior to removing it from the list, the limit was 12 micrograms/ml. The NCAA still has a 15mcg/ml limit for college students. In 2017 WADA put caffeine into it’s Monitoring Program, which means they are having experts take a closer look to see if there is a pattern of misuse. Currently, as of January 2018, WADA has not recommended putting caffeine back on the list of banned substances. – Jim Rutberg, CTS

  9. El consumo de bebidas con contenido de cafeína, en mi persona, produce un efecto positivo durante un evento en el que se requiere mayor esfuerzo, aunque si descuido los carbohidratos y el hidratarme, tiendo a contracturme demasiado. Soy un típico cafetero diario.

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  11. Isn’t caffeine a diuretic and if so wouldn’t that dininish endurance rvent performance by enhancing the ridk of dehydration?

    1. Good point. While under consideration, I’ve wondered about the use of products like Pedialite for children with diaharea to retain hydration over long endurance activities. Any thoughts on either products or the safety of such practice?

    2. I drink one cup (12oz.) of caffein before a 2-3 hour ride. We ride in a group and take a break at the halfway point. I will drink another 12 oz of coffee unless it is hot. I drink one bottle of water/electrolyte an hour and never have any issues. I do feel it boosts my endurance. The key is hydration if you drink it.

    3. Post
      Author

      It’s a good question, but caffeine is not a diuretic in people who have habituated to it. In other words, if you normally consume caffeine then amounts up to about 300mg are not likely to lead to an overall loss of body water. This study is from 2003, but the findings have remained similar in the years since: Maughan, R. J., and J. Griffin. “Caffeine Ingestion and Fluid Balance: A Review.” Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 16.6 (2003): 411-20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19774754

      Now, what about the fact you drink coffee and have to urinate relatively soon thereafter? That can be attributed to one of two things, or both. First, if you’re hydrated and consume a relatively large amount of fluid, your body’s response will be to get rid of the fluid. If you’re hydrated you don’t store extra fluid. Caffeine may also help to induce urination sooner, but the net fluid loss over the course of the day does not increase. In other words, coffee may make you want to urinate sooner in the day, but shouldn’t actually increase the amount of total fluid you lose through urination in a 24 hour period. – CTS

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