It is well known that supplementing with a small amount of caffeine (also known as 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine or methylxanthine) before exercise can enhance alertness, power output, anaerobic running capacity, and metabolic rate, while reducing the perceived speed of exercise.
As with most supplements, more caffeine is not necessarily better; excessive intake can increase blood pressure, heart rate, cortisol levels, and anxiety.
However, when caffeine is used in moderation, it provides a range of natural performance-enhancing benefits throughout the day, with side effects minimized or even eliminated.
Scientific Facts about Caffeine in the Athletic Population:
The benefits of caffeine on exercise performance and health are remarkable and beneficial. This article will analyze five of the most common forms of caffeine:
1. Natural Caffeine
2. Anhydrous Caffeine
3. Citrate Caffeine
4. Malate Caffeine
5. Guarana Caffeine
By the end of this article, you should have a better understanding of the differences between anhydrous caffeine and citrate caffeine, and why you might need 200% more malate caffeine than anhydrous caffeine to achieve the same effects.
When "caffeine" is listed on a nutrition facts label, if not specified, it could be one or more of the five forms of caffeine discussed in this article.
All five types contain naturally occurring xanthine derivatives that we call "caffeine." However, some caffeine types are combined with other compounds to alter the body's response to and processing of the stimulant.
Natural Caffeine
60% of adults consume caffeine every day; the majority of which comes from natural sources such as coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, and guarana berries (the latter being less common).
Natural caffeine typically reaches peak caffeine blood concentration around 40 minutes after ingestion. Unlike other caffeine sources, natural caffeine usually requires soaking the beans or leaves in liquid close to boiling for 3-5 minutes to extract caffeine. However, the percentage of extracted caffeine largely depends on water temperature, the quality of beans or leaves, and soaking time.
One drawback of using natural caffeine is the lack of dose consistency. I could brew 100 cups of tea or several pots of coffee under almost identical conditions, and the caffeine content would vary each time. However, natural caffeine sources often include additional benefits from plant nutrients, such as potent antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Manufacturers often process natural caffeine sources to produce the remaining four caffeine types we'll discuss.
Anhydrous Caffeine
Apart from natural caffeine sources, anhydrous caffeine is the most commonly used caffeine type in the fitness industry. Anhydrous caffeine can be found in capsules, tablets, powder, and liquid forms, either as standalone supplement products or as part of pre-workout and fat-burning blends.
The main difference between natural caffeine and anhydrous caffeine is water content. Anhydrous literally means "without water." Manufacturers process natural caffeine sources to produce anhydrous caffeine powder with a water content of less than 0.5% by weight.
The result of this processing and dehydration is the familiar white, bitter, and potent crystalline powder we all know and love. Independent anhydrous caffeine supplements can rapidly increase caffeine blood levels within 15 to 45 minutes after ingestion, peaking 60 to 120 minutes post-ingestion.
Not only is anhydrous caffeine the most popular form of caffeine in supplements, but its dosages are also the highest compared to other caffeine types. This is because anhydrous caffeine is the cheapest and most concentrated form of caffeine.
If you find that 200-400 mg of caffeine per serving causes unnecessary side effects, start by trying half a serving to avoid the impact of side effects.
Citrate Caffeine
Citrate caffeine, also known as Infinergy™, is a combination of caffeine and citric acid in ionic bond form, a trademark of Creative Compounds LLC. While Creative Compounds LLC owns this trademark, they were not the first company to discover and use citrate caffeine. After the ban of cocaine in consumer products, the Coca-Cola company employed citrate caffeine as an alternative stimulant.
Like other forms of caffeine, citrate caffeine can increase attention, energy, and metabolism while reducing perceived fatigue. However, citrate caffeine provides a unique advantage because citric acid can alleviate digestion issues commonly caused by natural caffeine and anhydrous caffeine.
Malate Caffeine
This compound, also known as CAFCIT®, is a combination of anhydrous caffeine, monosodium citrate, and disodium citrate. This compound combination does not occur naturally and needs laboratory synthesis to be produced.
Malate caffeine has gained popularity in the fitness industry recently because it seems to increase caffeine blood levels more rapidly than other caffeine sources. Caffeine blood levels peak 30 minutes after ingesting malate caffeine compared to 60-120 minutes after ingesting anhydrous caffeine.
While malate caffeine acts faster than anhydrous caffeine, it has a major drawback – 20mg of malate caffeine provides only 10mg of active caffeine. This means that per milligram, malate caffeine provides 50% less caffeine than anhydrous caffeine.
For those looking to quickly boost energy and willing to double the dose, malate caffeine might be an ideal stimulant.
Supplement manufacturers typically include malate caffeine as a small part of the total caffeine content. Heavy users of caffeine know that 25 mg of anhydrous caffeine is nearly negligible. However, when stacked with other caffeine sources, malate caffeine could be a powerful combination, delivering energy faster and extending the duration of benefits.
Guarana Caffeine
Guarana seeds have an extremely high caffeine content, reaching 2.7% to 5.8% by dry weight. When prepared as a 0.12% solution of guarana extract (12% caffeine content), it significantly improves liver glycogen reserves, helping the body maintain blood glucose levels during exercise and providing more energy to resist fatigue. Additionally, it enhances the body's ability to clear lactic acid, effectively alleviating fatigue caused by the accumulation of exercise metabolites.
In conclusion, the diverse forms of caffeine offer unique advantages and considerations for athletes and individuals seeking performance enhancement. Understanding the differences between natural caffeine, anhydrous caffeine, citrate caffeine, malate caffeine, and guarana caffeine allows individuals to make informed choices based on their specific needs and preferences.
Reference:
[1] Grgic J, Grgic I, Pickering C, et al. Wake up and smell the coffee: caffeine supplementation and exercise performance—an umbrella review of 21 published meta- analyses. Br J Sports Med 2020;54:681–688.
[2] Gonçalves LS, Painelli VS, Yamaguchi G, et al. Dispelling the myth that habitual caffeine consumption influences the performance response to acute caffeine supplementation. J Appl Physiol 2017;123:213–20.
[3] Guest, Nanci S., Trisha A. VanDusseldorp, Michael T. Nelson, Jozo Grgic, Brad J. Schoenfeld, Nathaniel D. M. Jenkins, Shawn M. Arent, et al. 2021. “International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Caffeine and Exercise Performance.” J ISSN 18 (1): 1.
Post time: Dec-07-2023
