Sock Doc on Caffeine

"Caffeine, as well all know, is a stimulant that is high in coffee, teas, guarana, yerba mate, and many energy drinks. For plants, caffeine is a natural insecticide. Caffeine as well as theobromine, paraxanthine and theophylline, are part of the methylxanthine family – psychoactive stimulants. Caffeine can be beneficial to some degree when you’re racing, but excess amounts can backfire and cause harm.

Symptoms of too much caffeine (too much ingested or impaired breakdown of it) include: nervousness, irritability, panic attacks, OCD, ADD, phobias, anxiety, muscle twitching, insomnia, headaches, heart palpitations, and digestive problems. But hey – there really isn’t a whole lot of caffeine in chocolate – even the pure unprocessed stuff. A typical 3.5oz bar of 70% cocoa is going to have roughly the same amount of caffeine as a cup (6-7oz) of coffee. If you’re eating 70% or higher chocolate, you’re probably not going to eat the whole bar. If you are, well you might have a problem. If you’re using <70% cocoa (not recommended) then there is even less caffeine in there so you’d have to eat more to get more caffeine. But you’d never do that, right? – Waayy too much sugar."
http://sock-doc.com/2012/02/valentines-day-another-reason-for-athletes-to-eat-chocolate/

Caffeine is probably the most common drug used today, though perhaps you could argue sugar is a close second here, although not a true “drug.” But back to the definition of a drug – a food can have a drug-like effect in certain amounts, or in certain people. Many people use caffeine and sugar all day to keep them going and they use it to train and race with too and often perform well until their health suffers. (...)
By no means am I saying that moderate caffeine, alcohol, or even sugar use is a problem (for most). http://sock-doc.com/2012/10/athletes-on-drugs/

Your diet (such as sugar and caffeine) can impact the results of the test. For example, if you drink a lot of caffeine or ate a lot of sugar before one test and not the other, you most likely will get different results.  http://sock-doc.com/2011/03/aerobic-or-anaerobic/

Inspirado por https://www.facebook.com/groups/146941988810908/180502905454816/?notif_t=group_comment_reply

Phil Maffetone on Caffeine

Caffeine is a common source of adrenal stimulation, a main reason people consume it. Coffee, tea and colas are the main sources. If you have an adrenal problem, assess your caffeine intake. For many, no caffeine is best; for others, a single cup or two of coffee or tea may be tolerable. You must determine, as objectively as possible by listening to your body, how much caffeine you can tolerate. http://www.philmaffetone.com/stress.cfm

the very small amount of caffeine in green tea is not likely to have adverse affects in a relatively healthy athlete. It also have many positive phytonutrients to help the immune system and muscles.  http://www.philmaffetone.com/forum.cfm?forum_action=showposts&topicid=94182

caffeine can be harmful for some people at certain doses. Because it stimulates the adrenal and nervous systems, those who already have too much stimulation - via natural means or through lifestyle stress - can easily be harmed by too much additional caffeine. eighteen ounces of coffee is more than 'a single cup' -- it could be considered three cups! So, depending on the strength of the brew, it's a lot of caffeine.
Only you can determine whether you do better with less caffeine through experimentation. Some people benefit by cutting their caffeine down a bit. For example, you may feel just as good with half the amount of caffeine. If that's the case, drink half the coffee or mix in half decaf. Other people develop symptoms such as hunger, shaking, and over stimulation of the intestines (often causing diarrhea) which would indicate too much caffeine, even in very small amounts.
Another important factor is that you're not eating breaking, and instead, relying on caffeine to keep you going. The body uses much of its stored glycogen during sleep, and replacing this stored sugar from breakfast is very important. Many people don't feel right working out after a meal of solid food. But a smoothie, even a small one, is usually tolerated very well, even when accompanying caffeine. http://philmaffetone.com/forum.cfm?forum_action=showposts&topicid=88708

Carbohydrate Intolerance Health Survey—Some Common Signs and Symptoms 
(...)
11. Frequent cravings for sweets or caffeine
(...) http://philmaffetone.com/2weektest.cfm

caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which raises the heart rate slightly in most people. Too much stimulation can raise the HR too much, an indication that the caffeine is too stressful and should be avoided.
In addition to stimulating fat burning, caffeine also gives the user the impression of less discomfort, one key reason people consume it before racing.
Shorter races work best--up to 60-90 minutes. Beyond that time frame, the effects of caffeine quickly diminish.
If you don't normally drink caffeine, having it only on race day can produce unwanted side effects. These include being anxious and jittery (perhaps making pre-race jitters worse), and having to run to the toilet before and or during the race.
Like many other issues, the use of caffeine is individual--carefully and objectively experiment in races. http://www.philmaffetone.com/forum.cfm?forum_action=showposts&topicid=105402