Recommended daily caffeine dose for your sports performance

Melanie Ramos 4 min. of reading Sport Performance Leave a comment

A dose between 3 and 6 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight is recommended to boost sports performance without experiencing harmful side effects.
“Smart” caffeine doses, about 0.3 mg/kg of body weight every 20 mg/hour, can extend wakefulness and improve cognitive function.
Combining caffeine with other longer-acting caffeine sources, like guaraná or taurine, can enhance its absorption and boost its effects.

Body Weight	Low-Intensity Training	Medium-Intensity Training	High-Intensity Training
< 60 kg	60 – 120 mg	120 – 180 mg	180 – 240 mg
60 – 70 kg	70 – 140 mg	140 – 210 mg	210 – 280 mg
70 – 80 kg	80 – 160 mg	160 – 240 mg	240 – 320 mg
80 – 90 kg	90 – 180 mg	180 – 270 mg	270 – 360 mg
> 90kg	90 – 200 mg	200 – 300 mg	300 – 400 mg

How does the amount of mg of caffeine affect sports?

Performance study

Participants performed exercise in four incremental loads by taking part in a test measuring all-out cycling performance, using a four-second inertial load test while taking placebo or different caffeine doses (3, 6, and 9 mg per kg of body weight).

Conclusions

It was shown that caffeine produces ergogenic effects at all doses.

Perceived performance and vigor increased by 38% to 54% in those who consumed between 3 and 6 mg of caffeine, and by 62% in those who took 9 mg.

However, participants who took 9 mg of caffeine experienced harmful side effects, like increased heart rate, gastric issues, and anxiety.

Therefore, a dose between 3 and 6 mg per kg of body weight is recommended to avoid negative side effects.

Cognitive function study

In 2004, a study found that “smart” caffeine doses, around 0.3 mg/kg of body weight or roughly every 20 mg/hour, can prolong wakefulness and counteract homeostatic sleep pressure, which builds up during the day and leads to nighttime sleep. The brain’s prefrontal cortex, responsible for cognitive functions, is involved in this process.

Conclusions

Everyone reacts differently to this substance: a good dose to improve cognitive function would be between 20-200 mg every hour, depending on the person’s size.

If you go for a 600 mg dose, keep in mind that caffeine’s effects on cognitive performance can reach similar efficacy to certain drugs or classes of nootropics.

Best supplements to boost caffeine’s effects

The most common form of this substance is anhydrous caffeine, so you can take it isolated. However, a smart move is to combine it with other longer-acting caffeine sources, like guaraná, for example.

Looking to improve absorption? Then go for combining it with taurine.

If you buy products aimed at fat reduction, you’ll find caffeine combined with other ingredients. Their goal is to work synergistically to mobilize fatty acids, helping to reduce weight.

And remember you can buy caffeine as supplements in our HSN store. You’ll find it in different forms and combos.

Try them out and stick with the one that suits you best!

Keep reading because there’s more info…