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AIS SPORTS SUPPLEMENT FRAMEWORK

CAFFEINE

What is it?

Following ingestion, caffeine is rapidly absorbed and transported to all body tissues and organs where it exerts a large variety of effects.

The mechanisms underpinning these effects may vary between individuals and include both positive and negative responses. Evidence of the

use of caffeine to enhance sports performance has been developed over more than a century of scientific testing, with robust evidence

2

now

confirming the following:

these effects exist, they are less likely to explain the magnitude of performance changes observed in the current literature.

> Individuals vary in their response to caffeine intake. Although caffeine may enhance sports performance in most, some individuals are non-

responders and others may respond negatively to caffeine ingestions.

> Athletes should be made aware of the potential of these effects and practitioners should be encouraged to trial its use with athletes before

use in major competitions.

Caffeine was removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List in 2004, allowing athletes who compete in WADA sanctioned sports

to consume caffeine within their usual diets or for specific purposes of performance. This change was based on the recognition that caffeine

enhanced performance at doses consistent with everyday use, and that monitoring caffeine intake via urinary caffeine concentration was not

reliable. WADA continues to test urinary caffeine concentrations within its Monitoring Program to investigate patterns of misuse.

Pure or highly concentrated caffeine can be potentially lethal and hence pose an acute risks to consumers.

A range of products provide caffeine in our everyday diets. Table 1 provides a summary of common foods, drinks and over-the-counter

preparations available in Australia, while Table 2 provides a summary of products that are more specifically targeted to athletes. Important points

to note are:

> The manufacture of caffeine containing products in Australia is regulated variously by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (“FSANZ”) or

the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Foods, which naturally contain caffeine and have a long history of use and consumer awareness/

association with caffeine, such as tea, coffee and cocoa, are exempt from labelling requirements and the addition of these caffeine sources to

other foods is allowed.

> The values for foods with naturally occurring caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, guarana) are “typical” or “average” amounts. However, there can be a

considerable range in the actual caffeine content of these products.

> Coffee can potentially provide a substantial dose of caffeine in a single serve. Studies of beverages purchased from commercial outlets have

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providing up to 200 mg of caffeine.

> Cola drinks, energy drinks, sports foods and therapeutic goods represent an additional source of caffeine in the food supply and are a popular

choice among specific population groups (e.g. adolescents and young adults). While cola drinks have been available for over a century, “energy”

drinks are a more recent and increasingly popular caffeine source.

> The Australian Foods Standards Code allow for the addition of caffeine to cola drinks at a maximum level of 145 mg/L while energy drinks, known

in the code as Formulated Caffeinated Beverages, can contain caffeine from all sources (caffeine and guarana) of up to 320 mg/L. Energy drinks

must state their caffeine content on product labels.

The Australian Food Standards Code provides greater regulation of caffeine-added products than found in other countries. It restricts the

development of new food products containing non-traditional sources of caffeine (including guarana) beyond the current provisions. In Aug 2019,

FSANZ released a further review of “Pure and highly concentrated caffeine products” and recommended a further review of FSANZ Standard 2.9.4 –

Short black coffee/espresso from variety of outlets 1 standard serve 107 (25-214)*

Starbucks Breakfast Blend brewed coffee 600 ml (Venti size) 415 (300-564)*

Iced coffee – Commercial “Loaded”, “Extra Strong” varieties 500 ml bottle 170-200

Iced coffee – Commercial Standard varieties 85-140 depending on brand

Frappuccino 375 ml cup 90

Tea 250 ml cup 27 (9-51)*

Black tea 250 ml cup 25-110

Green tea 250 ml cup 30-50

Iced Tea 600 ml bottle 20-40

Hot chocolate 250 ml cup 5-10

V Energy drink 250 ml/350 ml/500 ml 78/109/155

Mother energy drink 150/300 ml/500 ml can 48/96/160

Monster energy drink 340 ml/500 ml can 109/160

Rockstar 500 ml can 160

No Doz (Australia) 1 tablet 100

Some carbohydrate-containing sports foods, such as sports drinks, gels and bars contain small amounts of caffeine – typically, 20-100 mg per serve

(see Table 2). Two other supplement categories also typically contain a source of caffeine: Fat loss products and Pre-workout supplements. Table 2

provides examples of products available in Australia, which fall under the jurisdiction of Therapeutic Goods Administration. Concerns regarding these

supplement categories include the lack of information on the caffeine dose provided by a typical serve of these products and the potential for large

caffeine doses.

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GU caffeinated sports gel 32 g sachet

20 (Tri-berry, Orange, Vanilla, Chocolate, Caramel, Nude, Mint

Chocolate, Watermelon)

GU caffeinated sports gel 32 g sachet 40 (Jet Blackberry, Espresso, Macchiato)

Hammer Gel 33 g sachet 25 (Tropical), 50 (Espresso)

Koda Energy gel 45 g sachet 80 (Cappuccino, Cola Vanilla & Green Plum)

Maurten Gel100 Caf100 40 g sachet 100

PowerBar Isomax sports drink 50g Powder 75

PowerGel Hydro - caffeinated 67mL sachet 100 (Cola), 51 (Cherry & Mojito)

PowerGel Fruit - caffeinated 40 g sachet 50 (Mango-Passionfruit)

GAT Nitraflex 10.3 g 342 (AC)

BPM labs The One 13.5 g 314 (AC)

APS Morph 3 15.5 g 309 (AC)

Max’s Beta pump 10 g 302 (AC)

Musclepharm Arnold Iron Pump 6 g 242 (AC)

Musclepharm Assault 14.5 g 234 (AC)

BSN N.O. Explode 18.5 g 193 (AC)

Cellucor C4 (explosive energy) 6.5 g 182 (AC)

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 10 g 180 (Tea/Coffee extract)

Vital Strength 16:00 Nitroxl 15 g 144 (Unknown)

BSc Hydroxyburn Shred 5 g 47

BSc Hydroxyburn Shred Ultra 5 g 156

BSc Hydroxyburn Clinical 1 tablet 50

EHP Labs Oxyshred 4.5 g 150 (Raspberry)

Factionlabs Deficit 8 g 250

Optimum Nutrition Burn Complex 5 g 250

AC = Anhydrous (Pure) Caffeine, * values taken from2, †values taken from product label

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How and when do I use it?

Over the last 15 years a large number of studies have refined our understanding of caffeine’s performance enhancing effects. If there is a

dose–response relationship between caffeine intake and exercise performance (i.e. the bigger the dose, the better the performance outcome),

outcomes even in the same sport or individual. Suitable or optimal protocols may be dictated by the specific characteristics of the event, the

practical considerations of consuming a caffeine-containing product, and the individual characteristics/preferences of the athlete. Athletes

intending to use caffeine to enhance sports performance should work with their high performance team providers to develop a protocol(s) and

trial these in training or less important events to determine the protocol(s) which best suit their individual needs.

Performance benefits have been observed following caffeine administered in capsules, coffee, sports and energy drinks, gum, gels, bars and

dissolvable mouth strips. Mouth rinsing with caffeine or aerosol caffeine administration appear less likely to produce an ergogenic effect. In addition,

studies now show that benefits from caffeine occur soon after intake and are not reliant on the achievement of peak blood caffeine concentrations

which typically occur around 60mins.

There is doubt about the value of withdrawing from caffeine use prior to using it for competition to “heighten” the subsequent effect on performance.

Observations of a greater performance improvement following a period of caffeine abstinence may be an artefact – caffeine withdrawal may

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