Unit1Project

Caffeine has various effects on sleep, cognitive abilities, and health. It is commonly consumed by students and athletes, but its actual effects are not widely known. While it can improve mental alertness, recent studies show that it has other benefits as well. Caffeine can enhance physical performance, stamina, and recovery, making it popular among athletes. Studies have shown that caffeine can increase speed, power, and training duration. However, it is important to consume caffeine in moderation as overconsumption can have negative side effects. It can disrupt sleep quality and lead to long-term changes in sleep patterns. Different types of caffeine have varying effects, so it is important to be aware of the contents of drinks. While coffee can benefit physical activity, it is crucial to consider the known risks such as decreased sleep quality. Caffeine is consumed in a variety of different ways by different consumer populations, from students drinking coffee in the morning to athletes drinking energy drinks as pre-workout. But do many people know the actual effects? How does it affect sleep, cognitive abilities, and health? Many people joke of the side effects, but is caffeine detrimental to our health? While it is an effective energy booster, many recent studies show that its effects go beyond mental alertness. While there are many broad studies concerning this topic, today we are going to focus on the use of caffeine in athletics. Caffeine can be especially beneficial for improving the quality of workouts for athletes, but there are side effects that they should be aware of. Most people consume caffeine for its ergogenic properties. Ergogenic meaning it is intended to enhance physical performance, stamina, and recovery. Many athletes of all ages and levels use caffeine to enhance their performance. A study done in 2010 by Larry McDaniel et al. was the groundwork research for athletics and caffeine. They found that caffeine increased speed and power, and extended training duration with clearer thinking. Another study done by Zhu Wang et al. tested caffeine's effects on time-till exhaustion in running workouts. They found that within the range of 1-4 mg per pound increased an athlete's workout duration. For someone who is about 120 pounds, the recommended amount is 162 mg, which is about a cup and a half of coffee. They emphasized the importance of consuming caffeine in moderation and an appropriate amount for your body size. Caffeine can be beneficial in many ways with appropriate consumption, as previously mentioned, but overconsumption can lead to negative side effects. A study from the Journal of Biochemical Pharmacology found that caffeine disrupted sleep quality and could lead to long-term adaptations of sleep patterns. While these studies did not point out the appropriate types of caffeine, it is known that some are better than others. As you probably know and have heard, some energy drink companies, and even Panera, have had scandals concerning the amount of caffeine in their drinks. This is even more reason to be aware of the contents so that you reap the benefits for your workouts or other intended uses without harming your health. So it turns out coffee isn't just a way to stay awake. It can also benefit your physical activity. But while there are proven benefits such as increased stamina, speed, and power for athletics, it is important to acknowledge the known risks. There are possible risks such as decreased quality of sleep, but if consumed in moderation, these are not of high concern. Thank you for listening, and I hope you learned something new today. Bye!