Diet gun

A systematic review and network meta-analysis published on December 3, 2025 in MDPI, titled Effects of Caffeine Dose and Administration Method on Time-Trial Performance: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis, examined the amounts of caffeine that may have an ergogenic effect before training.

The effects of caffeine administration methods (e.g., capsules/tablets, gum, mouthwash) and doses (low: ≤3 mg/kg, moderate: 4–6 mg/kg) on ​​endurance, resistance, and sprint performance were examined. Among these, endurance sports report the highest caffeine use. Research investigating the effects of caffeine intake on endurance performance has been based primarily on two protocols: time-to-exhaustion and time-trials. Timing tests are considered more valid and produce findings that are more directly applicable to coaches and athletes.

Measurements were made in 89% of male and 11% of female athletes.

Caffeine doses ranged from 2 to 6 mg/kg body weight. The method of administration was caffeine capsules, caffeine gum, and caffeine mouthwash.

Dosages were low: ≤3 mg/kg and medium: 4–6 mg/kg on timing performance, assessed by completion time and mean power output.

Findings showed that low-dose capsules (≈3 mg/kg) were the most effective intervention for reducing completion time, followed by medium-dose capsules and medium-dose gum.

Similarly, low-dose capsules (mainly 3 mg/kg) had the highest probability of improving mean power output, with medium-dose capsules ranking second.

Caffeine capsules caused the greatest reduction in time, rather than caffeinated gum, due to the possibility of residual caffeine remaining in discarded gum, resulting in lower caffeine intake. The mouthwash failed to exert an ergogenic effect in the body, and this may be due to the short contact time (up to 10 seconds) of the rinse with the oral mucosa, which allows only trace amounts of caffeine to enter the systemic circulation, probably insufficient to produce significant ergogenic effects.

Doses of caffeine
The findings showed that moderate-dose (4-6 mg/kg) and low-dose (mainly 3 mg/kg) caffeine capsules are equally effective in improving both completion time and mean power output, with no significant differences between the two. However, given the lower incidence of adverse events (e.g., gastrointestinal discomfort and irregular heart rate) associated with the low-dose caffeine, this dosage may be preferable when determining the optimal dosing strategy.

The choice of dosage, however, should also take into account individual variability, particularly habitual caffeine intake; e.g., regular consumers of caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, may develop a tolerance to caffeine, meaning that low doses may not achieve the desired ergogenic effect.

Low-dose caffeine capsules (≈3 mg/kg) reduced time trial completion time by 2.2% compared to a placebo pill containing no caffeine, outperforming both the medium-dose capsules (1.8%) and the medium-dose gum (1.6%). This improvement may seem modest but can be decisive in high-level, self-paced competitions where results are separated by a few seconds, such as in the men’s cycling individual time trial (32.4 km) at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where such a difference could have put an athlete who finished fourth on the podium.

What was NOT calculated
The analysis did not take into account individual factors (e.g., body composition, metabolic differences, and genetic variability) that may influence the ergogenic response to caffeine, e.g., individuals with higher body fat percentages may have higher plasma levels of caffeine and its metabolites and process caffeine more slowly than leaner individuals. Age-related changes in metabolic function, lipid metabolism, and glucose metabolism may also affect caffeine absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

In conclusion, to get the maximum benefits from caffeine before training, we should consume it 30 – 60 minutes before starting training at a dosage of 3mg/kg of body weight

e.g. if we are 80 kg we should consume 240 mg of caffeine before training

if we are 60 kg we should consume 180 mg of caffeine before training.

Most caffeine supplements in capsule/tablet form are 200 mg. It is also found in 100 mg/tablet and more rarely in 300 mg/tablet.

The amounts of caffeine found in drinks and foods are as follows

Coffee, 75 to 100 mg per 170 ml cup, 40 mg per 30 ml espresso

Tea, 30 to 50 mg per 170 ml cup of black or green tea

Most colas (except “caffeine-free”) – 45 mg in a 330 ml drink

Energy drinks, usually up to 200 mg per 330 ml drink

Energy gels, usually 60 to 100 mg

Gums, 40 – 80 mg per gum

Pills, 100 – 200 mg per pill

Chocolate, 10 – 58 mg per 30 gr.

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