energy gels....cafine or no cafine

lizzylad84

just wondering about energy gels, in my lbs they have 2 "types", one with cafine, one without. just wondering which is best?

Lumen

Caffeine has no measurable effect on performance so it doesn't really matter.

moby2101

Hi
I use the powerbar variety(..buy 'em in bulk from Bike24.com..waaay cheaper)..I have tried both caffeine and caffeine free...

No competition really caffeine is the way 2 go much more bang for your buck in energy terms

bcmf

Only 1 way to find to which works for you.
Buy both and try them.Some people's tolaerance to caffeine is higher then others

bambergbike

Or just drink a cappucino and then cycle up a big hill.

Lashed

Lumen wrote: »

Caffeine has no measurable effect on performance so it doesn't really matter.

From this months Cycling Fitness magazine ' A 2008 study looked at the effects of caffeine on cycling performance. The results showed that, compared with a placebo, caffeine doses of 2 and 3mg/kg body weight increased performance by 3% and 4% respectively'.

'Caffeine can also help reduce the symptoms of delayed onset of muscle soreness'

This is small but for a cyclist chasing marginal gains, a 4% boost is significant.

Brian?

Caffeine pre cycle, I have no idea if it helps on a spin.

I would comment though that gels are for chumps, these are the way forward:

http://www.powerbar.com/products/236/powerbar-energy-blasts-gel-filled-chews.aspx

Man alive they are tasty.

Hmmzis

Caffeine also has a diuretic effect. That 3-4% boost won't be of much use if midway through your TT effort you have to answer natures calls. It's supposedly less pronounced in regular coffee drinkers than non coffee users.

I've tried both, the caffeine and non caffeine ones. The caffeine one's seem to allow me to keep a higher heart rate for longer (a few blips at most) but still sub or at AT. I'd say the adrenaline boost from the pre-race excitement will be a bigger boost than any caffeine or non caffeine gel.

CardinalJ

Hmmzis wrote: »

Caffeine also has a diuretic effect. That 3-4% boost won't be of much use if midway through your TT effort you have to answer natures calls. It's supposedly less pronounced in regular coffee drinkers than non coffee users.

I've tried both, the caffeine and non caffeine ones. The caffeine one's seem to allow me to keep a higher heart rate for longer (a few blips at most) but still sub or at AT. I'd say the adrenaline boost from the pre-race excitement will be a bigger boost than any caffeine or non caffeine gel.

+1 on the diuretic effect.

Did Malin to Mizen a few months ago and a friend used a power bar energy powder that had caffeine in it. Threw it out after two days as it was killing him.

unichall

Hmmzis wrote: »

Caffeine also has a diuretic effect. That 3-4% boost won't be of much use if midway through your TT effort you have to answer natures calls. It's supposedly less pronounced in regular coffee drinkers than non coffee users.

I've tried both, the caffeine and non caffeine ones. The caffeine one's seem to allow me to keep a higher heart rate for longer (a few blips at most) but still sub or at AT. I'd say the adrenaline boost from the pre-race excitement will be a bigger boost than any caffeine or non caffeine gel.

Yes but exercise is an anti diuretic so shouldn't be an issue as long as you are going hard enough

petethedrummer

Energy gels are the work of satan.

What are you using the gels for?

MrCreosote

Why bother getting them in your LBS- they're much cheaper online

Lumen

Lashed wrote: »

From this months Cycling Fitness magazine ' A 2008 study looked at the effects of caffeine on cycling performance. The results showed that, compared with a placebo, caffeine doses of 2 and 3mg/kg body weight increased performance by 3% and 4% respectively'.

'Caffeine can also help reduce the symptoms of delayed onset of muscle soreness'

This is small but for a cyclist chasing marginal gains, a 4% boost is significant.

"Chasing marginal gains?" Are you riding for Sky? :pac:

One study does not make science. One study referenced in a leisure cycling magazine whose revenue model is supported by product advertising from companies that make energy gels is particularly untrustworthy.

If caffeine had such a massive effect it would be on the WADA banned list. 3-4% is a HUGE advantage at the top end of the sport. It was taken off the list because it was found to have no measurable benefit.

MrCreosote

There is a lot of evidence supporting the beneficial effects of caffeine on endurance sports. The Aussie Institute of Sport page has a good summary about it

http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/supplements/old_pages/supplement_fact_sheets/group_a_supplements/caffeine

I thought WADA took caffeine off the prohibited list because of the difficulty with policing the previous levels- some people would return a far higher level than others after the same intake, and the lack of evidence of benefit of large doses over moderate intake (which was already allowed). That's not the same as saying it has no effect.

Lumen

MrCreosote wrote: »

There is a lot of evidence supporting the beneficial effects of caffeine on endurance sports

That's interesting, but it does say:

"The mechanism underpinning performance benefits is unclear, but it is likely to involve alterations to the perception of effort or fatigue"

...which is possibly other way of saying "it's all in your head".

I'd be interested to learn more about WADAs reasoning.

MrCreosote

Lumen wrote: »

"The mechanism underpinning performance benefits is unclear, but it is likely to involve alterations to the perception of effort or fatigue"

...which is possibly other way of saying "it's all in your head".

I think "in your head" as in the fatigue centres in the brain, rather than purely a conscious psychological effect (although it probably has this too).
I'll see if I can dig out some stuff on WADA.

Myself- I have a double shot espresso on the morning of any events...and every other morning too.

Lumen

MrCreosote wrote: »

Myself- I have a double shot espresso on the morning of any events...and every other morning too.

Right. I half suspect that WADA unbanned caffeine due to athletes protesting that it was against their human rights to be forced to drink decaf.

bambergbike

Lumen wrote: »

Right. I half suspect that WADA unbanned caffeine due to athletes protesting that it was against their human rights to be forced to drink decaf.

That's pretty much how I would read what it says on their website:

http://www.wada-ama.org/en/Resources/Q-and-A/2012-Prohibited-List/

Basically it seems the ban was an absolute pain to enforce. Caffeine is still on the monitoring list, though, so it could be banned again if a pattern of abuse became too obvious to ignore.

Oregano_State

Caffeine does have a diuretic effect, but it's been shown (I could look for the studies if you want them) that this diminishes significantly when the user takes caffeinei regularly.

Caffeine has been shown in numerous studies to be a legal performance-enhancing substance for all types of excercise. It also helps concentration which I'd imagine is important for cycling, and it's effects last at least 2 hours, whch again suits cycling very much.

NeedMoreGears

I seem to remember that caffiene increases the speed of carbohydrate uptake and that it why it's in gels/powerbars. Can anyone confirm/contradict that?

Lumen

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

I seem to remember that caffiene increases the speed of carbohydrate uptake and that it why it's in gels/powerbars. Can anyone confirm/contradict that?

I think you're thinking of protein.

Lashed

Lumen wrote: »

"Chasing marginal gains?" Are you riding for Sky? :pac:

..

No, certainly not working for sky and not chasing marginal gains either as any gain for me is a bonus.:) I had to take issue with your initial statement that caffeine has no effect, when clearly it does, if only to wake you up.

Personally, I never use caffeine gels but do throw in a Hi5 tab with caffeine towards the end of a really long spin, 130km plus, as I find the caffeine drink helps to relieve fatigue better than a drink without.

lizzylad84

ok, so when buying energy bars what should i look out for? i mean what constitutes a "good@ bar?