If this is the case, athletes need to look at their whole food diet first and foremost rather than trying to find a quick fix solution. If athletes need an energy drink or caffeine shot just to get them through the training session, then alarm bells should be ringing. While there certainly may be some benefits to caffeine supplementation for youth athletes, supplementation should only ever be considered when the whole diet has been perfected first. Should Youth Athletes Take Caffeine Supplements? It can cause various side effects including:Īnd many other effects which have resulted in sales of energy drinks being banned to under 16’s in the UK. Can You Have Too Much Caffeine?ĭrinking too much caffeine in a short space of time can actually negatively affect an athlete’s performance. However, it’s very important to understand that unlike in adult athletes, the effects of caffeine supplements in youth athletes is not a very well researched area at all. Benefits that have been reported include improvements to jumping, running, sprinting, reaction times, physical performance and upper body strength and reductions to the rate of perceived exertion in footballers, judo athletes and tennis players. There is some evidence to suggest that caffeine may have a similar beneficial effect in youth athletes to adult athletes. Sounds ideal right? But the catch is that individuals will respond very differently to the same amount of caffeine and there’s very little evidence of its performance or health effects in youth athletes. Does Caffeine Improve Performance?Īthletes from many different sports regularly use caffeine as an ergogenic aid (a supplement that enhances performance) before an event or training session.Īll of which act to make the athlete feel more switched on and like they can work harder and for longer. This increases feelings of alertness and concentration and combats fatigue. It’s a stimulant that, simply put, affects the natural fight or flight response in the body. But is it effective in youth athletes and do these products have a place in their diet and training plan? What is Caffeine?Ĭaffeine is a compound that occurs naturally in plants and is commonly found in lots of different food and drinks including cocoa, coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and energy drinks. In fact, 83% of teenagers report regularly consuming caffeine in the form of fizzy drinks, coffee and energy drinks. And it’s not just used by older athletes either. But did you know that it’s also one of the most readily available and commonly used sports supplements too? Claims of performance-enhancing effects are supported by lots of scientific literature and include increasing alertness and concentration and reducing fatigue. When you think of caffeine, your first thoughts are probably about your morning cup of coffee or the cups of tea you drink throughout the day.
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