8 months ago bicycling magazine was swearing that caffeine was the best legal performance enhancing drug. This last issue the have article that two cups of coffee lowers the oxygen to the heart 29 %. I love my morning coffee, I would hate to give it up. So my question is to drink or not to drink ?

Pro cyclists worldwide for a long time have been swilling the espresso just before races. I think you're okay.

The reduced o2 the the heart study, I think, happened only at high altitudes, and with people who aren't accustomed to caffeine.

I'm pretty sure if you're drinking your morning coffee religiously, like I do, it's not going to make a big difference since your tolerance is pretty solid anyway. Not that I'm any kinda expert.

alcohol is much worse...I am trying to give that up...no luck so far had 4 beers last night. Gulity conscience.

http://www.naturalstrength.com/nutrition/detail.asp?ArticleID=665
and
http://www.middlebury.edu/campuslife/services/healthed/drugs/alcathletes.htm
"Alcohol consumption has a significant impact on how the liver functions. The liver is the primary organ which metabolizes alcohol so that alcohol is broken down and eliminated from the body. The liver responds to alcohol as a toxin and when a toxin is present in the body, the liver temporarily "suspends" its other functions in order to rid the body of a toxic substance. One of the normal functions the liver suspends in order to process the alcohol is one of the liver's primary functions - the maintaining of adequate blood levels of glycogen. Glycogen is the basic fuel for the body and brain. When the liver suspends its function of producing adequate glycogen, the results are impaired cognitive function and rapid onset of muscle fatigue during strenuous exercise. Both of these result in impaired athletic performance. A secondary effect of an inadequate glycogen supply is that muscle tissue may lack the energy supply necessary for cell repair following strenuous exercise.

Alcohol's impact on the cardio-vascular system can be significant. Alcohol ingestion tends to raise blood pressure. A rise in blood pressure can result in the heart having to pump harder in order to move the blood in the body.

Alcohol use can cause abnormal heart rhythms in athletes. In some people even as little as 3 ounces of alcohol can cause a form of abnormal heart beat called ventricular tachycardia. Alcohol also increases the synthesis of cholesterol, which increases the risks of coronary heart disease.

Chronic alcohol abuse causes progressive weakening of the muscles, both cardiac and skeletal muscles.

Sleep patterns are affected by even moderate alcohol intake. As little as one ounce of alcohol consumed before going to bed can suppress deep sleep, cause fragmented sleep and thus interfere with truly restful and restorative sleep.

Another issue associated with alcohol use involves alcohol's tendency to slowly deplete vitamins already in the body and to interfere with the absorption and storage of new nutrients. Even one or two drinks per day can cut supplies of vitamins to below normal levels. Alcohol burns up supplies of B complex vitamins which regulate important enzyme and metabolic functions. The heart, liver, thyroid, and kidneys are affected by Vitamin B deficiencies. Vitamin A deficiency reduces the body's resistance to disease. Alcohol also can affect the levels of Vitamin C in the body which can contribute to anemia, reduced resistance to disease and over stimulation of the adrenal gland.

In addition, after alcohol is ingested the body excretes calcium at twice the normal rate. Calcium is necessary for strong bones and to heal fractures.

In regard to high levels of intoxication, the brain is affected in such a way that a person's cognitive processes remain impaired for up to 72 hours after alcohol has left the blood stream. So, if you party hard on a Saturday night, cognitively, you aren't back to normal until Tuesday.

It is important to remember that research indicates that for college students, the drinking patterns you establish during college will continue for 50% of you up to and beyond age 30 years old. In addition, one out of every 10 drinkers will develop the disease of alcoholism. If untreated, alcoholism is fatal."

Floyd Landis was in town a few years ago for the annual NRC race locally, and some guys in my club put him up. They asked Floyd what he wanted for breakfast (race time at noon). Now, this is a brutal two-hour crit. This year was typical -- 130 guys started, less than thirty finished.
Floyd asked whether they had an espresso machine. Breakfast was six espressos.

Thanks for all the alochol info Betty Ford. I'm off to go drink now.

I dont want it to affect my performance, I'm sort of thinking its one or the other, train to win or drink to be drunk.
Hearts,
Betty Ford

Thanks for all the alochol info Betty Ford. I'm off to go drink now.

I dont want it to affect my performance, I'm sort of thinking its one or the other, train to win or drink to be drunk.

You can't really expect to be drinking and not have it affect your performance. One beer, maybe two (it's somewhat individual) is going to be your limit if you want to feel good the next day. Simple as that.

I was sort of amusing capt_phun...thanks for the life lesson.

drunkcyclist.com

NSFW! Don't even try..........

It's a great drug. I'm aware of a few studies that showed it worked to make cyclist faster. Obviously there are safe limits to it's use as well as alcohol. Both will cause atrial dysrythmias (not ventricular) Alcohol is not well associated with Ventricular Tachycardia. V.tach is a very, very unstable heart rhythm that typically preceeds V. fib which then kills you. Chronic alcoholics will get premature ventricular contractions but it would be very, very unusual to get v.tach. Of note cannabis also has a strong association with cardiac arrythmias.
Alcohol is a nasty, nasty drug when abused. Safe limits of drinking for a male is typically 5 drinks a week and no more than 3 at a time. The most dangerous thing about alcohol is driving. I would echo kannas in warning that you are still intoxicated the morning after a bender. Not only are you physiologically screwy, if you hop on your bike you are driving drunk. I also would not be drinking at all the night before a race.
Don't go throwing out the Sam Adams though. All that scary stuff is true, but with chronic use, or going on benders. There are benefits as well. The most well known of which is coronary vascular disease.
Having a beer or two is not a bad thing. Likewise as much as homeopaths hate coffee, and as hard as numerous researchers have tried to show deleterious effects, coffee is safe and yummy. As with everything moderation is the key.
Also if something lowers the oxygen delivery to the heart 29% you would be critically ill, possibly dead. Don't know the study and don't read bicycling, but the figure is totally nonsense on the surface.

What about soda consumption? Does the Carbon Dioxide in it lower your blood O2 levels?


alcohol is much worse...I am trying to give that up...no luck so far had 4 beers last night. Gulity conscience.

http://www.naturalstrength.com/nutrition/detail.asp?ArticleID=665
and
http://www.middlebury.edu/campuslife/services/healthed/drugs/alcathletes.htm
"

8 months ago bicycling magazine was swearing that caffeine was the best legal performance enhancing drug. This last issue the have article that two cups of coffee lowers the oxygen to the heart 29 %. I love my morning coffee, I would hate to give it up. So my question is to drink or not to drink ?

I wonder how Claritin-D affects performance. It's probably banned since it is a stimulant to a point.

From the title, I thought this might be the first part of a Seinfeld skit. I mean seriously, what is the deal with caffiene? What is with that stuff?
I'll typically have a heavily creamed and sugared cup of coffee before I work out and so far my heart hasn't exploded or become ischemic.

have you ever put a tooth into a cup of coke?
its F-in scary...
You can develop ulcers and acid reflux disease and the sugar screws with your metabolism. Yum 40oz coke and three double whoppers. Now, who's the king...

8 months ago bicycling magazine was swearing that caffeine was the best legal performance enhancing drug. This last issue the have article that two cups of coffee lowers the oxygen to the heart 29 %. I love my morning coffee, I would hate to give it up. So my question is to drink or not to drink ?
Bicycling Mag not consistant? Imagine that. - TF

Bicycling Mag not consistant? Imagine that. - TF

They must have gotten mixed up on their rotation (repetition) of articles. The high class publications like the Enquirier and the Star never make the mistake of publishing inconsistent stories of alien abductions or three headed babies.

...I love my morning coffee, I would hate to give it up. So my question is to drink or not to drink ?

Stop reading Bicycling Magazine while drinking your coffee. There are plenty of high quality fiction books available at your local library.

have you ever put a tooth into a cup of coke?
its F-in scary...
You can develop ulcers and acid reflux disease and the sugar screws with your metabolism. Yum 40oz coke and three double whoppers. Now, who's the king...

You've been snoped!
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

Coca-Cola does contain small amounts of citric acid and phosphoric acid; however, all the insinuations about the dangers these acids might pose to people who drink Coca-Cola ignore a simple concept familiar to any first-year chemistry student: concentration. Coca-Cola contains less citric acid than orange juice does, and the concentration of phosphoric acid in Coke is far too small (a mere <NOBR>11 to</NOBR> <NOBR>13 grams</NOBR> per gallon of syrup, or about 0.20 to <NOBR>0.30 per</NOBR> cent of the total formula) to dissolve a steak, a tooth (http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/tooth.asp), or a nail overnight. (Much of the item will dissolve eventually, but after a day or two you'll still have most of the tooth, a whole nail, and one very soggy <NOBR>t-bone.)</NOBR>

Besides, the gastric acid in your stomach is much stronger than any of the acids in Coca-Cola, so the Coca-Cola is harmless.

You've been snoped!
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

yeah, what about all the cocaine in coke....harmless.
*disclaimer for those who dont get my sarcastic nature, I am kidding.

http://www.cptips.com/nutmyt.htm

On that site they believe caffeine is alongside blood-doping as a supplement that clearly improves performance(maybe not to the extent of epo!). There are a few others there that will surprise you ie. Glycerol, baking soda!, orange juice, caffeine, sodium citrate.

Check it out! If I had the money I would by a hypoxic chamber, get my blood count to 49.5% Take my appendix out (for weight), and get on all those supplemants above. Thats just me...im kinda serious.

8 months ago bicycling magazine was swearing that caffeine was the best legal performance enhancing drug. This last issue the have article that two cups of coffee lowers the oxygen to the heart 29 %. I love my morning coffee, I would hate to give it up. So my question is to drink or not to drink ?

If you (almost) never have coffee, and drink some before a race, it'll likely help some.

If you (almost) always have coffee, and don't have some before the race, it'll likely hurt some.

Habitual use probably doesn't matter noticeably either way, and habitual non-use obviously won't change anything. (long-term heath benefits/risks notwithstanding.)

I wish the people dissing Bicycling Magazine would quiet down. It's one of the most-readable fashion magazines on the stands.

alcohol is much worse...

Here's some good news for you:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5481064

Coffee May Slow Liver Damage from Alcohol Abuse
by Patricia Neighmond

Morning Edition, June 13, 2006 · A study shows coffee may help offset liver damage caused by alcohol abuse. Alcoholics who drank more coffee were far less likely to develop cirrhosis.

Too much beer last night? Have an extra cuppa this morning! :thumbsup:

its gotta have a good impact on performance cause I remember an article about racers taking caffene pills during races. my question on it is how it effects the artiries. I heard it hardens them. If so how much coffee does it take to create this affect over how many years of use? i would take it that hardened artiries means the heart needs to work harder to push the blood through? excuse my spelling I just finnished a pomogranite margarita.

alcohol is much worse...I am trying to give that up...no luck so far had 4 beers last night. Gulity conscience.

http://www.naturalstrength.com/nutrition/detail.asp?ArticleID=665
and
http://www.middlebury.edu/campuslife/services/healthed/drugs/alcathletes.htm
"Alcohol consumption has a significant impact on how the liver functions. The liver is the primary organ which metabolizes alcohol so that alcohol is broken down and eliminated from the body. The liver responds to alcohol as a toxin and when a toxin is present in the body, the liver temporarily "suspends" its other functions in order to rid the body of a toxic substance. One of the normal functions the liver suspends in order to process the alcohol is one of the liver's primary functions - the maintaining of adequate blood levels of glycogen. Glycogen is the basic fuel for the body and brain. When the liver suspends its function of producing adequate glycogen, the results are impaired cognitive function and rapid onset of muscle fatigue during strenuous exercise. Both of these result in impaired athletic performance. A secondary effect of an inadequate glycogen supply is that muscle tissue may lack the energy supply necessary for cell repair following strenuous exercise.

Alcohol's impact on the cardio-vascular system can be significant. Alcohol ingestion tends to raise blood pressure. A rise in blood pressure can result in the heart having to pump harder in order to move the blood in the body.

Alcohol use can cause abnormal heart rhythms in athletes. In some people even as little as 3 ounces of alcohol can cause a form of abnormal heart beat called ventricular tachycardia. Alcohol also increases the synthesis of cholesterol, which increases the risks of coronary heart disease.

Chronic alcohol abuse causes progressive weakening of the muscles, both cardiac and skeletal muscles.

Sleep patterns are affected by even moderate alcohol intake. As little as one ounce of alcohol consumed before going to bed can suppress deep sleep, cause fragmented sleep and thus interfere with truly restful and restorative sleep.

Another issue associated with alcohol use involves alcohol's tendency to slowly deplete vitamins already in the body and to interfere with the absorption and storage of new nutrients. Even one or two drinks per day can cut supplies of vitamins to below normal levels. Alcohol burns up supplies of B complex vitamins which regulate important enzyme and metabolic functions. The heart, liver, thyroid, and kidneys are affected by Vitamin B deficiencies. Vitamin A deficiency reduces the body's resistance to disease. Alcohol also can affect the levels of Vitamin C in the body which can contribute to anemia, reduced resistance to disease and over stimulation of the adrenal gland.

In addition, after alcohol is ingested the body excretes calcium at twice the normal rate. Calcium is necessary for strong bones and to heal fractures.

In regard to high levels of intoxication, the brain is affected in such a way that a person's cognitive processes remain impaired for up to 72 hours after alcohol has left the blood stream. So, if you party hard on a Saturday night, cognitively, you aren't back to normal until Tuesday.

It is important to remember that research indicates that for college students, the drinking patterns you establish during college will continue for 50% of you up to and beyond age 30 years old. In addition, one out of every 10 drinkers will develop the disease of alcoholism. If untreated, alcoholism is fatal."


Don't drink before you ride, and drink eight ounces of water for each ounce of alcohol and you'll be fine. Look at Anquetil. He had no problem winning the Tour a few times, and he was quite familiar with the bottle. Moreover, you'd have to drink a fith a day to get some of those health issues you mention. Sleep being messed up is the only realistic thing to be affected with moderate use. Moderate use is another topic, as in the States "moderate" is 2-4 drinks a day, and I thing Europe it's 6 or more?

Interesting... I remembered that EXACT same thing. So, being kind of a nerd, I compiled about 10 of the most relevant studies regarding endurance sport performance and caffiene and came up with the following results... consider it the cliff notes version...

It has long shown to improve cycling performance. Caffeine helps spare glycogen stores by stimulating the release and metabolism of free fatty acids to be used as an energy source. "In one study, athletes who drank the equivalent of two cups of coffee before exercise enjoyed a 50-percent increase in circulating free fatty acids, a huge advantage for cyclists, who are already efficient fat burners." In addition it appears caffeine decreases the perception of exertion by reducing or altering the nervous system so that you don't FEEL like you are going as hard. There are studies and studies and studies that seem to validate these claims. So, Im going to think that these are pretty valid.

Then new study that you are referring to... I can give you some snippets... Basically it states that during exercise, caffeine decreases the ability for your heart and vessels to expand during activity. Here is the meat:

"Reported in the 17 January issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (vol 47, pp405-410), the research investigated the effects on young people who were regular coffee drinkers but they did not drink any coffee for 36 hours prior to the tests.
PET scans were used to show blood flow in the hearts of 10 participants before and immediately after they rode a stationary exercise bicycle. Then they were given 200mg of caffeine in a tablet, and the exercise test was repeated 50 minutes later.
The caffeine dose did not affect blood flow within the heart muscle while the participants were at rest. However, the blood flow measurements taken immediately after exercise were significantly lower when the participants had taken caffeine tablets.
The ratio of exercise blood flow to resting blood flow, called the myocardial flow reserve, was 22 per cent lower in the group at normal air pressure after ingesting caffeine.
This was even lower in a second group who exercised in a chamber simulating the air at about 15,000 feet (4,500 meters) altitude. (39 per cent lower).
Author Dr Philipp Kaufmann said that caffeine may block certain receptors in the walls of blood vessels, interfering with the normal process by which adenosine signals blood vessels to dilate in response to the demands of physical activity. "

So with that being said, there ARE differences. However, with the newer study the group was only 18 patients... thats pretty small. Plus, even IF there is decrease cardiac output with caffeine, it has STILL historically shown increases in athletic performance due to the glycogen reserves and perception of exertion. So... basically what these together say... is that it does increase performance, but could potentially be more dangerous especially for those who cycle with perhaps some previous artery hardening or coronary disease.

If you take your caffeine with a drink... then you are not at any additional risk for dehydration vs caffeine taken with a pill. Just hydrate properly.