This level of mental performance is particularly important at the end of a game, where research shows most goals occur. It’s obvious that as the game progresses, we become increasingly fatigued, which can lead to less time to focus and poorer decision-making ability. So if you can reduce this decline in physical and mental performance, you can gain a significant advantage on the field.
How Caffeine Helps <br data-mce-fragment="1">Caffeine is recognized as a supplement that provides legitimate performance gains to athletes. Simply put, caffeine is a stimulant that improves endurance performance and the ability to sprint repeatedly by providing a mental boost that improves alertness and concentration.
It does this by acting on certain receptors in the body, thereby improving brain and muscle function; increasing alertness and making movement less difficult. Other studies have also shown that caffeine can help football players with their concentration and decision-making skills. This has been proven in studies showing caffeine can improve passing accuracy and skill performance.
How much to take and when?
Research suggests that to improve performance, a recommended intake of caffeine is approximately 3-5 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight: approximately 200 mg of caffeine for a 70 kg individual. However, it's important to acknowledge that people's reactions to caffeine are very individual, and some people may benefit more from lower caffeine intake, while others may benefit from higher amounts (more than Caffeine consumption at the above recommended amounts has been shown to have no further benefit on performance and may even have a negative impact on performance). Therefore, we recommend taking 75-200 mg of caffeine 30-45 minutes before the start of exercise or when you want to achieve the desired effect to ensure the body starts with the highest caffeine levels. In situations where hydration is important, caffeine products can also be consumed with SiS GO Hydro or GO Electrolyte to ensure combined carbohydrate, caffeine and fluid delivery during exercise. In fact, in addition to carbohydrates, caffeine intake has been shown to have increased benefits.
The following Science in Sport products contain enough caffeine (caffeine content in brackets) to be used as part of your pre- or during-exercise nutrition strategy: SiS GO Energy + Caffeine (75 mg), SiS Hydro + Caffeine (75 mg) mg) and SiS Beta Fuel Nootropics (200 mg).
In addition to the caffeine content of SiS Beta Fuel Nootropics, it also contains Nootropics, an active ingredient that improves or maintains peak cognitive performance such as focus, concentration, creativity, motivation, memory, and more . This means that the combination of caffeine, nootropics and carbohydrates in SiS Beta Fuel Nootropics colloids provides athletes with a complete source of energy during training and/or competition, because when the body's demands are greatest, you need to optimize psychological function!
It's also worth pointing out that caffeine usually wears off in the body after about five hours. Therefore, you may want to consider your evening tee time before taking caffeinated products. For a 7:45pm game, taking caffeine around 6pm should mean you're able to benefit from the effects of caffeine without suffering from disrupted sleep after the game.
Key recommendations
1. Football relies heavily on the physical and mental attributes of athletes.
2. Caffeine is one of the few products that can have a positive impact on physical and mental performance by delaying feelings of fatigue.
3. We recommend taking 75-200 mg of caffeine 30-45 minutes before kick-off.
