Among athletes, caffeine leaches calcium and exacerbates fluid loss from physical activity. Caffeine is a stimulant and players should be aware of its effects and the symptoms of caffeine addiction and withdrawal.
Consumption
- The maximum recommended daily dose of caffeine is 300mg
|
Product |
Amount of Caffeine |
|
Coffee (8 oz) |
118 mg |
|
Tea (8 oz) |
43 mg |
|
Cola (12 oz) |
46 mg |
|
Chocolate Milk (8 oz) |
8 mg |
|
Chocolate bar (1.5 oz) |
10 mg |
|
Cold remedy (1 tablet) |
15-30mg |
|
Headache reliever (1 tablet) |
30-32mg |
|
Stimulants (1 dose) |
100-200mg |
Effects of Caffeine
- Moderate doses of caffeine (<200mg) produce the following effects:
- Short term alertness, happiness or sense of well-being.
- Large does of caffeine (>200mg) can cause the following effects:
- Nervousness, anxiety, stomach troubles for up to six hours.
- The effects depend on each individual’s caffeine sensitivity.
- Any amount of caffeine can cause sleep disruption.
- Calcium can leach calcium from the body.
Caffeine Withdrawal
- Signs of caffeine withdrawal include:
- Headaches, fatigue, inability to concentrate, depression, and anxiety and disappear after a few days.
- Reduce caffeine consumption by cutting back slowly.
- Symptoms disappear over time.
Post-activity
- Caffeine is a diuretic and exacerbates fluid lost during activity.
- However, chocolate milk is a good recovery fluid and contains a relatively low amount of caffeine.
Resource
- Health Canada (2003). Fact Sheet: Caffeine. Retrieved 2 February 2005 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment/dg/e_caffeine.html.