How Can Caffeine Boost Running Performance?

Caffeine is widely recognised for its ability to wake us up and keep us alert, but for runners, it’s also a secret weapon for improving performance. Caffeine can offer a significant boost to your endurance, speed, and overall race times. Here’s the lowdown on how caffeine can improve running performance, including how much you should take for optimal results, the dangers of overconsumption, and the best times to take it for maximum benefit.

The Science Behind Caffeine’s Performance Boost

Caffeine works primarily by stimulating the central nervous system. By blocking adenosine – a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sleepiness - it helps you feel more awake and alert. But its benefits go beyond just keeping you awake; caffeine has been shown to enhance endurance and athletic performance through several physiological mechanisms:

1. Improved performance through reduced perceived effort: Perhaps one of the most noticeable effects of caffeine for runners is a reduction in perceived effort. Studies have shown that caffeine can lower the feeling of effort during exercise, making a run feel easier even when the physical demands are high. This can lead to better performance, especially in longer races or training runs. Researchers observed that doses of 5 mg per kg of body weight improved endurance performance by up to 5% when consumed 1 hour before exercise. It doesn’t sound a lot but success is in the margins!

2. Enhanced Mental Focus: By increasing the release of dopamine and norepinephrine, caffeine can enhance focus and concentration, allowing you to stay mentally engaged throughout your run.

3. Improved muscle strength and power: Caffeine may be an effective ergogenic aid for muscle strength and power, leading to enhanced power output and stamina.

4. Reduced DOMS: Caffeine ingestion prior to endurance and also resistance training may reduce delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) with Caldwell et al (2017) recommending that athletes may benefit from ingesting caffeine in the days following an arduous exercise bout to relieve feelings of soreness and reduced functionality.

5. Increased Fat Oxidation: It remains debatable whether this occurs when runners take caffeine, however the theory is that during prolonged exercise, caffeine increases the mobilisation of fatty acids from fat tissues, allowing your body to burn fat more efficiently. This helps spare your glycogen stores, which delays fatigue and improves endurance. A review by Conger et al. (2022) analysed 94 studies with variable findings regarding fat metabolism after ingesting caffeine, and concludes that caffeine increases fat metabolism in a small but highly significant way. Another study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that caffeine improved performance in long-distance runners by enhancing fat oxidation, thus sparing glycogen and delaying fatigue. This effect was particularly noticeable in runners who consumed caffeine regularly and had a tolerance for it.

How Much Caffeine Should You Take for a Boost?

The optimal amount of caffeine varies depending on the individual and the length of their run. The general guideline for caffeine consumption to improve endurance performance is anything from 1-6 mg per kilogram of body weight (the higher dose of 3-6mg/kg being more suitable for shorter runs with 1-2mg/kg being more appropriate for runs over 3 hours). This means that a 70 kg runner would benefit from consuming about 210 mg caffeine to achieve performance benefits in runs up to 3 hours long but can get away with lower doses for longer runs (about 50mg per hour is well-tolerated during endurance as we've outlined below). For reference, a small cup of coffee contains about 50 mg caffeine and Protein Rebel’s Maple Coffee energy gel contains 45mg caffeine per gel.  

As caffeine effects everyone differently, it’s important to experiment with different dosages during training runs to find the right balance that boosts your performance without causing side effects. If you’re someone who’s sensitive to caffeine, a low dose of as little as 1mg/kg may be all that’s required to stimulate caffeine’s effects.

Don’t Take Too Much: The Risks of Overconsumption

While caffeine can improve performance, it’s important to avoid overconsumption, as too much caffeine can lead to undesirable side effects that can actually hinder your running performance. Very high doses of caffeine (e.g. 9 mg/kg) are associated with a high incidence of side-effects including dehydration, cramping, anxiety, gastrointestinal distress and sleep disruption. Although ultrarunners may also experience these side-effects on a much lower dose than 9mg/kg, which is why it’s important to adjust your caffeine intake in line with the length of your run.

When Should You Take Caffeine?

Timing is key when it comes to caffeine and the length of your run will determine when you should take it.

Runs up to 3 hours

If running for no more than 3 hours, the optimal time to consume caffeine is about 30 to 60 minutes before your run at a dose of 3-6mg/kg of bodyweight, allowing the body enough time to absorb and start feeling its effects. Caffeine peaks in your bloodstream about 30 to 60 minutes after ingestion and can stay in your system for several hours, so timing it right ensures that you’re getting the performance-enhancing benefits when they matter most.

3-6 hour runs

If you’re planning a long run of a few hours, you may still want to take caffeine 30-60 minutes before the race (3-6mg/kg). But you should also consider topping up your caffeine after the second or third hour with 1-2mg/kg or 50mg per hour, but don’t take any within an hour of the race finish. Caffeine has been demonstrated as being especially beneficial for athletes who are fatigued and engrossed in exercise for a number of hours.

According to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, “Evidence supports the strategic use of caffeine to sustain performance in the latter stages of [ultramarathon] racing, particularly when sleep deprivation may compromise athlete safety” (Tiller et al. 2019). 

Tiller advises that frequent, lower doses of caffeine are taken during an ultra-marathon with the more sustainable amount of either 1–2 mg/kg or 50mg per hour recommended.

Runs over 6 hours

If you’re planning on running over 6 hours, caffeine should be reserved for the second half of the race and again, consider low but frequent doses.

It’s believed that 50mg/per hour is safe over several hours and is likely to be well tolerated. This dosage will prove particularly beneficial if running through the night when circadian rhythms are likely to be affected, with 50mg per hour recommended between midnight and sunrise.

Regardless of how far you’re running, it’s important to test your caffeine strategy in the same way as you test your overall nutrition strategy, making sure the levels of caffeine you’re planning to take agree with you, and give you the energy boost you’re seeking.

Choosing the best caffeine product for you!

When choosing the right caffeinated product to support your run, it’s important to consider:

• Caffeine content – More does not mean better, with larger caffeine doses not necessarily leading to greater performance. You want a caffeine product that allows you to be versatile with how much you take and when. If you’re running an ultramarathon, for instance, you don’t want to be taking a 100mg caffeine gummy in one go, but would instead benefit from taking one Maple Coffee energy gel per hour (providing 45mg caffeine). This should form part of your overall fuelling strategy with Maple Ignite consumed at times when caffeine isn't required. Moderate rates of caffeine consumption are more likely to optimise gains during an ultra, and with a reduced risk of GI distress. For shorter races of up to 3 hours, you may benefit from taking up to 4 Maple Coffee gels 30-60 minutes before the start of the race, as this will provide a caffeine boost of 180mg.

• Digestibility – Consider how gentle the caffeine will be on your stomach. Again, too much caffeine in one go might not be well tolerated, especially during longer runs. As our Maple Coffee gels are made with natural ingredients, they are easily digested and unlikely to cause GI distress.

• Taste and texture – How easy is it to consume the caffeinated product? If it’s bitter with an unpleasant texture, you’ll put off taking it and fail to reap the benefits. Thankfully our Maple Coffee gel is both tasty and slightly thicker than water, making it very easy to consume on the run.

Take your running to the next level!

Caffeine can be powerful for improving running performance, helping you run faster, longer, and with less perceived effort. By finding the right caffeine dose for your body and the length of your run, you can enjoy faster, more efficient runs and take your performance to the next level.