Negative effects of caffeine
hazzy87
Posts: 26
Good Afternoon,
I read a lot about how caffeine can play a part in improving performance, however there is always to much of good thing at times.
I’ve noticed that to much caffeine even a few hours before a ride might be affecting my concerntration on the bike and has had an effect on my ability on the bike also.
I’m more nervous and seem to be overthinking mainly when descending which has almost caused me to come off a few months back.
Obviously I’m going to massively reduce or even stop my intake of it in hope that it helps?
Has anybody else had a similar experience with it? Did it help to quit the caffeine completely?
Thanks
I read a lot about how caffeine can play a part in improving performance, however there is always to much of good thing at times.
I’ve noticed that to much caffeine even a few hours before a ride might be affecting my concerntration on the bike and has had an effect on my ability on the bike also.
I’m more nervous and seem to be overthinking mainly when descending which has almost caused me to come off a few months back.
Obviously I’m going to massively reduce or even stop my intake of it in hope that it helps?
Has anybody else had a similar experience with it? Did it help to quit the caffeine completely?
Thanks
0
Posts
If you are using lots of caffeine to make up for lack of sleep or rest, then I guess it can only cover so much fatigue. How much are you using?
Personally I will often have a good strong americano just before a long ride, and also will occasionally use an electrolyte tab with caffeine in a water bottle during a ride. It doesn't have any negative effects that I'm aware of. And of course any positive benefits may be down to the placebo effect anyway.
it can improve physical performance, perhaps if you are racing there might be a benefit, but if you're not then you've nothing to lose if you give it up
if you think it is making you nervous/jittery seems clear you should reduce/eliminate intake
I try to minimise my input in day to day life; no more than one cup of caffeinated coffee or can of drink a day, in the morning only, and always one day a week at least with zero caffeine. Any more knocks my sleeping pattern and just makes me more tired over the week.
I undoubtedly get a boost from caffeine on rides; on very short rides like time trials it generally means I start off harder and take less time to get into a rythm, on longer rides it stops me from tailng off. But for 1-2 hours rides, for me neither effect makes much difference so not much to be gained. Then I go back to the real world and too much caffeine still makes me jittery and not sleep so I'd rather avoid it where I can.
Ultimately, caffeine is a drug - a totally sanitised and normalised drug perhaps - but still a drug. It won't do the exactly same thing to you as it will to me or to anyone else, and if you think it is having a positive or negative effect on you, the only way to truly know is to repeat everything as closely as possible with and without and note the differences in how you feel.
could be your doctor using the ulcer as an excuse to influence habits for other reasons, or perhaps he just wants to make you miserable
That aside, if you can stop drinking alcohol (all of it) that can only be a good thing... maybe it will come as a surprise, but animals in general are not supposed to drink alcohol (any of it)... it's supposed to be a poison that yeasts produce as a mechanism of self defence
It's linked to pretty much every disease you can think about... from dementia, to any form of cancer, heart problems... you name it...
In other words, it's a bit pointless to go vegan, or cut on red meat or do more exercise or eat less in general if you then continue drinking alcohol.
As mentioned above, smallish amounts of regular caffeine ingestion has been shown to have some positive health effects (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-latest-scoop-on-the-health-benefits-of-coffee-2017092512429 - random link from the 1st page of google). Tea and coffee have a lot of antioxidants too.