Overview: Caffeine is very popular within many sports and athletes of all levels over the past 100 years. There is research that suggests ingesting 3-9 mg/kg of bodyweight 60 minutes before exercise can improve performance.
Benefits: Recent research has shown that single and repeated jump height as well as single and repeated sprint times have improved through the use of caffeine before performance. In addition, caffeine has also improved total running distance, distance covered at sprint velocity and the number of sprints which makes this ideal for basketball.
Disadvantages: Consistent use may blunt the acute effects of performance and its addictive effects especially accompanied by energy drinks with high sugar amounts. Also, caffeine is a diuretic and not recommended to be consumed hours before exercise where hydration is priority. Extremely high doses of caffeine has been shown to affect seizures and has been assoc. with peptic ulcers.
Type of Athlete that may benefit from caffeine use: Based on an article written in Sports Medicine in 2018, caffeine use has been shown beneficial in sports that require both endurance and repeated high intensity efforts. It’s not as clear to see benefits in max strength like it is with muscular endurance. Specifically, efforts from 80-100% have seen up to a 20% improvement from caffeine.
NCAA Guidelines- is it banned? The NCAA banned caffeine between 1984-2004 within competition use but only at high doses (12 ug ml). But since the ban has been lifted, use has never really diminished.
Recommendations to your athletes based on research:
Based on research, I would suggest that caffeine be used on your discretion on days of heavy volume. Because our bodies can get used to the effects of caffeine, I would recommend cycling but watch for addictive effects such as headaches.
Sources:
Pickering, C. & Kiely, J. (2018). Are the current guidelines on caffeine use in sport optimal for everyone? inter-individual variation in caffeine ergogenicity, and a move towards personalised sports nutrition. Sports Medicine, 48, 7-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0776-1
Salinero, J. J., Lara, B., & Coso, J. D. (2018). Effects of acute ingestion of caffeine on team sports performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Research in Sports Medicine (2), 238-256. https://doi.org/10.1080/15438627.2018.1552146
Jeukendrup, A. & Gleeson, M. (2018). Sport Nutrition (3rd ed.). Human Kinetics.