Caffeine as an Ergogenic Aid

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) prohibits the use of caffeine because it falls under the category of stimulants, which are banned substances. The standard level for the allocation of caffeine consumption is 14 micrograms per milliliter and anything above that level will be considered a fail in the drug test due to enhancing performance by the excessive usage of caffeine. It is recommended for athletes to stop using caffeine even in small quantities because of differences in metabolism, which may alter the rate of caffeine clearance in the body.

Some athletes use caffeine as a masking agent, to expedite the excretion of other banned ergogenic aids. (Emily Shelton April 4 2013). When an athlete uses coffee, feelings of fatigue are delayed through the blocking of receptors for adenosine, which is a neurotransmitter related with causing sleep. This makes the athlete to have stamina that can keep them going for a long period of time without getting fatigued. The limitations on caffeine usage started in 1984, during the Los Angeles Summer Games. Caffeine is mostly ingested in tea and coffee but can also be found in chocolate, some energy drinks, beverages and over the counter pills. (National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2017).

The negative side effects of caffeine ingestion can be as fatal as cardiac symptoms like heart palpitations when one consumes about 400 mg of caffeine. (Eric Adelson 2012).

The following table shows a research carried out on certain ergogenic aids, their effects, side effects and actions.

(DALE M. AHRENDT, M.D 2001 Mar 1)

Although caffeine has mild side effects, it has been banned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) because it enhances the performance of athletes, leading to unfair competition.