Podium Talk

Caffeine as a naturally occurring drug has a very rich history. It has travelled around the world in mysterious ways through coffee beans. It originally required specified equipment to brew, but with the invention and popularisation of instant coffee, it has truly reached the masses. While many drink coffee and derived beverages for enjoyment, it has physical benefits too. Athletes and any other population can reap the performance boost that caffeine provides. The way in which it works is fascinating. Caffeine moves through the blood into the brain (only a few molecules are able to cross this barrier). Once in the brain, it attaches to receptor sites of the molecule called adenosine. Adenosine is responsible for the perception of tiredness and fatigue. Since caffeine molecules have blocked the sites, adenosine is not able to attach there and thus the feeling of fatigue is alleviated. This is exactly why people drink coffee to pull an all nighter before an exam. Caffeine has been found...

Caffeine is originally obtained from coffee, which seemed to be discovered and put to use in Ethiopia in the 15th century. Coffee beans made their way around the globe through mysterious trade routes and a treasury of interesting stories. At this point, this super drug is commonly found in kitchens all around the world and enjoyed as a beverage by a large number of people. Caffeine was first extracted from coffee in 1819 and has opened up many possibilities by which it can be consumed. The cultural history is just amazing, but I wouldn’t attempt to explain the history for the sake of relevance. What we are concerned about is how the contents of this bean is critical to the performance of professional and recreational endurance athletes. At first glance, knowing caffeine’s effect on the heart rate, one would assume that it would not be beneficial to begin a long run with your heart racing before your feet get a chance to catch wind. However, this cannot be further from the truth. Caffei...