UNDERSTANDING THE BENEFITS OF CAFFEINE

By Brandon Pieterse

The majority of us live and breathe for a nice hot cup of coffee (and to a lesser extent tea) to help keep us productive throughout the day. We know that the energy that coffee provides us with comes from its caffeine content and we leave it at that.

But let’s take a deeper look at what caffeine does within our body and how it provides us with that extra boost of energy and productivity throughout the day.

Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is naturally found in various leaves, seeds and fruits. It is, though, most commonly found in the bean of the coffee plant. However it can also be synthetically produced in laboratories for use in various energy drinks and pre-workout supplements. The synthetically produced caffeine is known as caffeine anhydrous.

Caffeine will help fight fatigue, improve our concentration and productivity, and increase our physical performance.

More specifically caffeine:

• reduces sedation and relaxation by inhibiting the production of adenosine, the chemical associated with sleep
• Increases our focus, improves body coordination, and makes us feel more awake
• Increases our performance in cardiovascular and anaerobic exercise

When it comes to caffeine, everyone will have various tolerances and it will affect each person differently, based on a variety of different circumstances. When looking at the most effective dose of caffeine anhydrous, you will be aiming for anywhere between 200-300mg per serving, though this will depend on how caffeine affects you. The best way to assess your tolerance is to start off with a low dose and then increase each time until your find the desired result.

If you would like to know more about caffeine, let us know and we can provide you with a more in-depth article on this amazing supplement that so many of us rely on throughout the day.

Photo credits:

Coffee plant seeds by Christian Joudrey on Unsplash