KEITH CHITTENDEN, MS, CSCS, TSAC-F
CAN CAFFEINE ENHANCE THE MENTAL
AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE OF
TACTICAL ATHLETES?
Enhancing performance has always been an area of interest
among tactical athletes. Many advances in supplementation are
advertised to enhance performance in the form of increased
strength, speed, and power, and decreased reaction times.
Ergogenic aids are supplements that may increase or enhance
physical and mental performance in work and sports. Caffeine
is an ergogenic aid that has been commonly used by athletes,
students, and working professionals to increase physical and
mental capacity. This article will focus on the consumption of
caffeine by tactical athletes.
For a tactical athlete, enhanced mental and physical performance
may prove to give an edge in situations in which focus and quick
reflexes may be essential for survival. Moderate amounts of
caffeine (i.e., 1 – 2 cups of an 8 – 12 oz serving size of coffee) have
been shown to stimulate the areas of the brain that control motor
and cognitive functions (1).
A popular vehicle for consuming concentrations of caffeine is
through energy drinks. Popular energy drink brands can contain
up to 120 mg of caffeine per serving. Energy drinks may be
popular and convenient; however, tactical athletes must take
caution when consuming energy drinks. Most commercial brands
of energy drinks contain 27 – 62 g of sugar per can (2). Large
quantities of sugar may negatively affect a tactical athlete’s
performance by inducing unwanted weight gain or cause sugar
crashes which may lead to fatigue and negate performance (2).
There are ingredients in energy drinks other than caffeine which
may also cause some adverse side effects. A popular ingredient
in some energy drinks is ma huang (i.e., ephedra). According to
research, ephedra can act as a stimulant to the cardiovascular
system by unsafely increasing resting heart rate and blood
pressure; cause, irregular heartbeat, jitteriness, and nausea; and
even induce myocardial infarction (6). As such, caution must be
used if the tactical athlete consumes caffeine via an energy drink.
It is recommended that tactical athletes avoid consuming energy
drinks that contain a mixture of high sugar content (> 30 mg of
sugar per can) and ma huang extract (2).
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There are many neural benefits associated with ingesting
moderate amounts of caffeine prior to and during activity. These
benefits include decreased fatigue, increased mental alertness,
and increased muscular force production during activity (1,2,6).
According to research, one important neural benefit of the
consumption of moderate amounts of caffeine includes decreasing
fatigue (1). Caffeine consumption increases and stimulates
neurotransmitters such as dopamine and acetylcholine. These
neurotransmitters are important for enhancing neural functions in
the brain. According to research, ingesting a moderate amount of
caffeine can help to fight off feelings of fatigue and tiredness (1,6).
Moderate caffeine consumption could also stimulate mental
performance in which critical thinking and concentration is crucial.
This is accomplished by enhancing neurophysiologic perfusion
to areas of the brain to enhance memory function and accurate
problem solving (3). Another neural benefit of ingesting moderate
amounts of caffeine is increased mental alertness (1). In a study
by Smith, caffeine consumption of approximately 220 mg/day
for a working adult (between the ages of 18 – 40) increased
their alertness to job functions and decreased reaction time (5).
Having an increase in mental alertness may enhance performance
in tactical operations during prolonged engagements or training.
Caffeine has also been demonstrated to increase fat metabolism
by aiding in t he shuttling of free fatty acids molecules from
storage in adipose tissue into usable forms of glucose for energy
production located in intramuscular fiber storage (5). This will help
slow depletion of glycogen stores used to for high-intensity bursts
of energy.
Caffeine taken in moderate amounts can help enhance the
performance of tactical athletes in both mental and physical
capacities (1,3,4). Tactical athletes should not substitute
caffeine supplementation over proper eating and maintaining
a proper nutritional dietary intake. A combination of a proper
nutritional plan and caffeine supplementation in moderation
may provide an edge to tactical athletes who are searching
for improved performance.
NSCA’S TSAC REPORT | ISSUE 34