Is Caffeine OK for Athletes?

The sports-nutrition scene can be confusing.  Athletes have a lot of choices when looking to fuel their bodies.  With so many options, making healthy, educated decisions about what to consume before, during and after competition is more important than ever.

USA TODAY recently published a cover story titled "Young Athletes and Energy Drinks: A Bad mix?"

The story addresses the concerns being raised by health and sport science professionals about the high levels of caffeine in the energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster and RockStar.  The author details the risks associated with young athletes consuming these beverages before training, practice or competition.  

Most energy drinks are sold as dietary supplements, which do not fall under FDA regulation.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, energy drinks have no place in the diets of children and teens.  Energy drinks contain doses of caffeine and other unregulated stimulants that are high for adults, let alone children or adolescents with smaller bodies.  Large doses of caffeine and/or caffeine combined with other stimulants can cause a variety of health risks during exercise, including: 1) elevated heart rate which may induce potentially life-threatening irregular heart rhythms; 2) disruption of the body’s ability to regulate temperature which can make the athlete more susceptible to heat illnesses; and 3) dehydration, as caffeine is a diuretic.

For the past 22 years Athletic Republic has followed an evidence-based approach to helping athletes improve their performance.  An integral part of an athlete’s training experience is developing their training IQ, or learning how to train smarter.  Athletes are always looking for an edge, and often turn to Athletic Republic trainers for advice on nutrition, dietary supplements, footwear, or apparel.  Our certified trainers always advise athletes to eat a healthy, balanced diet to provide enough energy and proper nutrients to support their rigorous training routine.  As the American Academy of Pediatrics has pointed out, energy drinks certainly do NOT fit into a healthy, balanced diet.  We agree.

Earlier this year, Athletic Republic partnered with Gatorade because of their 40-year history of using solid sport science to support the development of products that can help athletes perform their best.  Gatorade Thirst Quencher, the most thoroughly researched sports drink in the world, provides athletes an electrolyte blend that ensures proper hydration and carbohydrate energy to fuel working muscles. 

Recently, Gatorade introduced their 1-2-3 line of products, designed for athletes to use during intense training and competition ―Prime 01 as a pre-workout fuel, Perform 02 which builds on the benefits of hydration and energy during a workout and Recover 03 for muscle recovery and rehydration after a workout.  None of Gatorade’s products contain caffeine or other stimulants and are specifically designed to support an athlete’s sports nutrition needs in combination with a well-balanced diet.  We are particularly excited about how Gatorade’s new line of products fit within a safe and effective sports nutrition plan for athletes. 

There are many options for sports nutrition and hydration on the market.  In addition to eating well-balanced meals, we strongly encourage athletes of any age and skill level to understand what they consume for fuel and hydration and how it impacts performance.  When in doubt, investigate the science that defines the product or consult an expert.