Coffee is one of the most common choices for caffeine. You may take it for granted, but caffeine supplements can be great for your pre-workout and post-workout boost.
Research has shown caffeine provides many advantages when it comes to athletic performance. It can be great for an energy boost and can even help with faster recovery. Let’s look at a few of the ways taking a caffeine supplement can help you before and after your workout.
Pre-Workout Caffeine Supplement Advantages
1. Provides Energy
The most obvious benefit of taking a caffeine supplement before your workout will help to provide more energy. It can give you the boost you need to get through a workout you’re dreading.
2. Delays Fatigue
Along with boosting energy, caffeine can help to delay fatigue. This can ensure you work out longer and you complete the full workout you planned.
3. Increases Focus
Research has shown caffeine can help increase focus and alertness. This is important when you want to get the most out of your workout.
4. Gets Your Metabolism Moving
A spike in metabolism will help with fat burning. Caffeine showed in one study it has the ability to help release stored fat better than working out without it.
Post-Workout Caffeine Supplement Advantages
1. Lowers Muscle Pain
Caffeine after your workout can also help to lessen muscle pain. It has shown in some studies that caffeine with carbohydrates helps to increase muscle glycogen stores by more than 60%. This leads to less muscle soreness.
2. Provides Faster Recovery
The same increase in muscle glycogen mentioned above helps athletes recover faster. This makes getting your next day’s work out in much easier.
Top Ways to Take Caffeine & Proper Dosage
While the studies have certainly shown benefits to using a caffeine supplement before and after your workout, it’s important to know the dosage. There are several ways to get caffeine from drinking coffee to taking a supplement.
A few of the most popular ways to take caffeine include:
- Coffee
- Chocolate
- Energy Drinks
- Caffeine Supplement
It’s best to take between 1.4 and 2.7 mg of caffeine per pout of body weight. For most people, this will come out to 200 to 400 mg.
If you’re new to taking caffeine before or after your workout, start with a lower dosage of 150 to 200 mg. Increase gradually to as much as 600 mg total per day. It’s also important to avoid taking caffeine after 4 or 5pm as it can make it hard to sleep.
For most people, taking 200 to 400 mg of caffeine 30 to 60 minutes before a workout is best. If you want to use caffeine before and after your workout, take a lower dosage both times. Side effects have been shown to be more common with those taking more than 600 mg of caffeine per day.
Taking a caffeine supplement can certainly help you perform better during your workout. Pre-workout caffeine provides many benefits, but so does post-workout caffeine. Make sure you follow the proper dosage guidelines and start with a lower dose to assess your tolerance.