A new study shows you can still get day-of performance benefits from caffeine even if you rely on it for everyday energy. – By Molly Hurford
The result: Based on blood samples and subject-rated perceived exertion, there was nothing suggesting between habitual caffeine intake affects time-trial performance with caffeine supplementation. The caffeine pills improved subjects’ performance by just over three per cent on average, while the placebo increased performance by roughly two per cent over the control group.
No matter how much caffeine a subject was used to consuming on regular days, they still felt some added pep: Perceived exertion was also the same between the low- and high-habituated caffeine groups.
It should be noted that the group studied was small and limited to one gender, so results can’t be guaranteed for every individual; plus, some riders respond differently to caffeine. While it might give many people the energy to pedal harder during a ride or race, others may just end up jittery.
For those of us who worry about that multiple-cups-a-day habit wrecking performance, we can now drink with abandon.