Many athletes know that caffeine is very popular in bodybuilding. Learn about the properties and uses of this substance in bodybuilding. Probably most people believe that anabolic steroids are most often used in bodybuilding, being the most popular drugs. However, it is not growth hormone or steroids that are most popular with athletes. Also, these are not various peptides or, for example, thyroid hormone. The most popular drug on the planet, including among athletes, is caffeine.
According to statistics, every second inhabitant of the planet uses caffeine. It doesn't have to be just coffee, as caffeine is found in about 60 plants. Roughly 75 percent of caffeine is consumed by humans along with coffee, and the remainder comes from tea and cocoa. One cup of coffee contains approximately 100 milligrams of caffeine, which is twice as much as tea. And, say, one bottle of Coca-Cola contains about 35 milligrams of this substance. Most often, people use caffeine to tone up or fight fatigue. Today we are going to talk about caffeine - the most popular bodybuilding remedy.
Effects of caffeine
The ergogenic properties of caffeine have long been known. Scientists have studied quite well the fat-burning effect of the substance in those moments when a person is at rest. This gave them the opportunity to talk about the ability of caffeine to increase energy expenditure by about 13 percent.
It has also been found that caffeine is excellent at oxidizing fat cells. The substance is capable of accelerating these processes by more than 20 percent. Caffeine has also been shown to enhance the sympathetic nervous system and promote the release of epinephrine and norepinephorine.
Coffee promotes the release of fatty acids, which contributes to the effect on insulin, increasing the body's insensitivity to this hormone. However, this effect is quickly reversed with exercise. Recently, in a study, scientists found that coffee protects the body against type 2 diabetes.
It is also useful to know that when drinking coffee, the body receives not only caffeine, but also a fairly large amount of different microelements, for example, magnesium. Also, in the course of one of the experiments, it was found that caffeine inhibits the development of Alzheimer's disease, as it reduces the toxic effects of beta-amyloid on the body. This substance is a protein compound and is a metabolite of the work of brain neurons. Now scientists believe that beta-amyloid is the main cause of the development of Alzheimer's disease. From all of the above, you can understand why caffeine is the most popular remedy in bodybuilding, but these are not all the properties of this substance. We have already noted that the substance helps to accelerate the synthesis of sympathetic hormones, which stimulates the heart and increases blood pressure. Some medications for the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system limit the effects on the body of sympathetic hormones. This primarily applies to beta blockers. It would be logical to assume that caffeine may have a negative effect on the heart, but no such complications have been identified. Of course, this does not apply to excessively high dosages of the substance.
In one study, scientists monitored the effects of caffeine on homocestine. It is a metabolite of the amino acid compound methionine, and it has long been established that this substance is associated with heart disease. The subjects consumed one liter of coffee during the day, and almost all participants in the experiment showed an increase in the level of homocestine. However, the negative effects of this metabolite on the body are suppressed by vitamins B6 and B12, as well as folic acid.
In another experiment, scientists were able to find that when drinking 4 cups of coffee a day for 30 days, it helped to raise cholesterol levels. It should also be noted that unfiltered coffee has a greater effect on increasing blood cholesterol levels. This is probably due to the content of one substance in the drink, which can be trapped by filters.
Coffee contains not only caffeine, but also a fairly large amount of other substances. For example, coffee contains theophylline, which, due to its ability to dilate blood vessels, is successfully used in the treatment of asthma. Coffee has a similar effect. Another substance, theobromine, is significantly more effective against cough than other drugs. Coffee has a stimulating effect on the brain and has the ability to block the adenosine receptors in the brain. This leads to increased concentration and helps to focus better.
Caffeine use
It should be remembered that caffeine is a medication and its use can lead to some side effects. In fairness, it must be said that all of them are associated mainly with individual intolerance to the substance or high dosages.
The effectiveness of the drug directly depends on the dosage. As stated above, one cup of coffee contains 10 to 200 milligrams of caffeine. This is enough to relieve fatigue and increase the activity of the brain. With the use of one gram of the substance, a slight arrhythmia of the heart occurs and an upset of the gastrointestinal tract is possible.
A large number of popular fat burners contain caffeine. For example, guarana, a plant growing in Brazil, contains about 7% caffeine, while coffee contains only 2%. Nowadays, mate, which also contains caffeine, is becoming more and more popular. The fat burning effects of caffeine have been known for a long time and the most popular fat burner, as well as the most effective, is a mixture of caffeine, ephedrine and aspirin.
Watch this video for ten interesting facts about caffeine:
