Are these caffeine pills good for runners?
As far as natural stimulants are concerned, caffeine is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most effective there is. But considering that it can enhance your life in more ways than one, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Here are just some benefits you’re likely to enjoy when you use caffeine sparingly:
- Improved cognitive performance
- Increased energy and alertness
- Boosted athletic performance
We’re sure you’ll agree that all the above sounds great, but what happens if you use caffeine incorrectly?
Well, a notable side effect of caffeine is that you may experience jitters if you consume caffeine in high dosages. Energy crashes are another issue associated with an excess amount of caffeine, which we’re certain you’ll want to avoid as a runner. Thankfully, it’s easy to keep things in check by paying close attention to your overall caffeine intake. And yes, that means you’ll probably need to cut down on the amount of energy drinks, coffee, and tea you’re drinking!
So, if you’re a runner looking for the ideal caffeine supplement, you’ve come to the right place. In the following guide, we’ll look closer at the benefits of caffeine for runners, how much is safe to consume per day, and much more.
So, without any further ado, here’s everything you need to know about the…
Best Caffeine Pills for Running: Performance Lab Stim
Performance Lab Stim is ultramodern stimulation for precision and performance to help restore caffeine-depleted brain chemicals for clean energy.
Is Caffeine Good For Runners?
Everyone experiences those days where you just don’t feel like exercising, or perhaps you need a bit of a morning pick me up when you wake up feeling tired. Either way, caffeine can provide you with the boost of energy you need to perform at your best. So long as you don’t consume too much per serving, that is.
So, before you consume every source of caffeine under the sun, you need to realize that consuming too much could adversely affect your health and your athletic performance. As a rule of thumb, we’d recommend an absolute maximum of 200 mg caffeine per serving – the equivalent to around two average cups of coffee. If you limit your caffeine intake, you can avoid the common side effects that it can cause when consumed excessively and can also prevent yourself from building up a tolerance to caffeine.
Read on for some frequently asked questions about caffeine pills.
Do Caffeine Pills Actually Work?
Regarding this question, the short answer would be yes, absolutely. When you use them in the right way, caffeine pills can help considerably regarding energy and alertness. And thanks to their affordability and accessibility, caffeine pills have long been a popular choice for those looking for a quick, convenient boost without having to consume a caffeinated beverage.
However, one thing to remember is that you should proceed with caution when using caffeine pills. This is because some products on the market contain mega doses which might do more harm than good. Thankfully, limiting your intake to a maximum of 400 mg per day and opting for caffeine pills with a lower dosage per serving can deliver excellent results for runners and non-runners alike.
Do Caffeine Pills Help You Lose Weight?
Caffeine is an ingredient commonly found in fat burners, pre workout supplements, and, of course, caffeine pills. But if you’re looking to shed a few lbs. by running, you might just be wondering if caffeine pills can help you with your weight loss efforts. If so, research has shown that high caffeine consumers reduced weight, fat mass and waist circumference more than those with a low caffeine intake [1]. Thanks to these benefits of caffeine, you’ll likely eat less and probably won’t feel tempted to snack excessively throughout the day.
Are Caffeine Pills Safe For Runners To Take?
In general, caffeine pills are fine for runners to take as they can have a positive effect on your athletic and nootropic performance more often than not. Many runners across the globe use caffeine pills regularly since they’re a convenient way to give yourself a boost while also being perfect for those who don’t like to drink coffee or tea. However, if the caffeine pills you’re interested in buying contain a large dosage of over 200 mg per serving, it’s probably worth steering clear as it’s likely that you’ll experience jitters or energy crashes at some point. Especially if you have a low tolerance, the amount of caffeine per serving is something that you should pay close attention to.
Another important consideration is which ingredients are in the caffeine pills you’re looking at buying. If you’re not sure where to start, continue reading as that’s exactly what we’ll look into in the next section.
Best Caffeine Pills Ingredients
Now that we’ve looked at the benefits of caffeine pills for runners, another important consideration is the accompanying ingredients you should look out for.
As it happens, that’s exactly what this section is all about.
L-Theanine
An amino acid that’s naturally found in green tea, L-Theanine is an ingredient capable of heightening the performance-enhancing effects of caffeine. So, if you feel that your energy could do with a boost, this is most definitely an ingredient you should look out for.
Best of all, research shows that the combination of Caffeine and L-Theanine leads to enhanced cognitive performance, improved alertness, as well as the ability to focus better. [2].
B-Complex Vitamins
When consuming caffeine, a depletion of B-vitamins is likely to occur, most notably Folate, B6, Riboflavin, and B12. [3] It’s especially important to keep your levels topped-up with B-Vitamins as the most important vitamins for energy metabolism. Because of this, it’s important for your chosen caffeine pills to include B-complex vitamins so they can be restored once caffeine has taken them away.
The best caffeine supplements on the market will include the above vitamins among its ingredients, which leads to a healthier stimulation experience on the whole.
L-Tyrosine
A common side effect among caffeine consumers is the inevitable crash that comes when you take in too much in one serving. Luckily, this precursor amino acid can help significantly to achieve sustained attention and mood once the effects of caffeine have worn off. Research also shows that in supplement form, L-Tyrosine can support stress-depleted neurotransmitters. [4]
Therefore, it’s clear that L-Tyrosine is a useful caffeine supplement ingredient, particularly for those adversely affected by an excess caffeine intake.
How To Choose Good Caffeine Pills
If you’re searching for natural caffeine pills that will provide you with a boost of energy when you need it the most, you’ve got plenty to choose from on the market. The problem is that caffeine capsules aren’t created equal – something you should always remember before hitting that buy button. Luckily, you can narrow down your choice of which caffeine tablets to buy by taking certain factors into account.
Read on as we take a closer look at how to choose the best caffeine pills to leave you feeling energized and ready to take on your next run.
Caffeine Content
Considering that an average cup of coffee contains around 80-100 mg of caffeine, the caffeine pills you choose shouldn’t have much more than this per serving if you’re looking to avoid common side effects. Research suggests that healthy adults (aged 19 or above), can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day [5]. If you’re able to stay within this limit, then it can most definitely have a positive effect on your running performance over time.
Other Ingredients In The Supplement
Caffeine itself is an excellent ingredient for boosting your performance while running. But when it’s combined with certain other ingredients, you can take things to a whole new level. L-Theanine is a great example, with this amino acid known to boost the performance enhancing benefits of caffeine, as covered in the previous section. Many people also don’t know that caffeine depletes B-Vitamins; and caffeine consumption leads to a loss of minerals and vitamins through frequent urination. However, some caffeine pills contain synthetic ingredients or additives that could put your health at risk.
Because of this, it’s always worth scrutinizing the ingredients label and only opting for caffeine supplements containing science-backed ingredients, such as the ones we looked at earlier in the article.
Effectiveness & Taste
When buying caffeine pills, it’s important that you take the product’s effectiveness into account. That way, you can ensure that the product you choose delivers on its promises. A lot of this comes down to how much caffeine there is in each serving, as well as which ingredients it uses. We’re certain the last thing you’ll want to do is waste your hard-earned cash, so be sure to do your research before buying.
Regarding taste, this usually isn’t much of a deciding factor when purchasing caffeine pills. But if you’re not a fan of caffeinated beverages such as energy drinks or coffee, caffeine pills are a fantastic option.
How You’ll Use Them
One of the best things about caffeine pills is that they’re incredibly convenient. No longer will you need to get in line at your local coffee house to get your fix before you head out for a run!
However, you should always use caffeine pills carefully, as an overreliance on caffeine could lead to potential health issues further down the line including insomnia, elevated blood pressure, and nervousness. Besides that, there’s also the fact that you could end up building a tolerance to caffeine if you consume it excessively. Thankfully, you’re able to avoid unwanted side effects by limiting the amount of caffeine you consume. By taking such an approach, you’ll be able to fuel your runs effectively and can focus on other tasks you need to complete throughout the day.
Your Tolerance Of Caffeine
Since everyone responds differently to caffeine, it’s always best to err on the side of caution when using this natural stimulant. To do just that, you should stick to caffeine pills with a lower amount of caffeine per serving. Then if you feel you need an extra boost, you can always take another pill or combine it with another suitable supplement.
Best Caffeine Pills of 2021
So, we’ve covered the benefits of caffeine for runners and how to choose the best caffeine pills. Now, you’re probably looking for a recommendation for the best option on the market, right? If that’s the case, then you needn’t look any further, as that’s exactly what we’re about to cover.
Performance Lab Stim
A smart, clean alternative to excessively dosed, poor-quality energy drinks and pills on the market, Performance Lab® Stim takes all the best caffeine pill ingredients and combines them into one quality formula comprising the following ingredients:
- Natural Caffeine, 50 mg
- Suntheanine® L-Theanine, 100 mg
- Ajipure® L-Tyrosine, 250 mg
- NutriGenesis® Caffeine Balance B-complex
Allowing for enhanced nootropic and athletic performance, Stim ensures that you’ll be able to perform at your best during your runs with fewer side effects than alternatives on the market. 50 mg of caffeine in each serving of Stim ensures that you’ll get better stimulatory benefits as opposed to other caffeine pills which provide crazy doses of up to 300 mg per serving. Best of all, Stim offers the cleanest caffeine delivery in the world, with all ingredients contained within the 100% natural, prebiotic-infused, and vegan-friendly NutriCaps®.
Caffeine & L-Theanine – The Perfect Combo
In terms of caffeine supplement ingredients, it’s clear that L-Theanine is right up there with the most important in 2020 and beyond. This is because when it’s combined with caffeine, these two ingredients promote a super stimulation state vital for optimal performance while running. What makes Stim even better is that it uses the most researched-backed form of L-Theanine – Suntheanine®. And thanks to the included 100 mg dosage, you’re able to enjoy as much L-Theanine as what you’ll find in over 10 cups of brewed green tea.
Does Stim Stack Well With Any Other Supplements?
Regarding natural performance enhancing supplements for running, Stim can undoubtedly make an enormous difference. But if you’re looking to go a step further, it’s possible to stack this supplement with others without experiencing the negative side effects caused by an excessive dose of caffeine.
Performance Lab Energy
Performance Lab Energy is what you need to supercharge daily performance with stim-free vitality to boost exercise intensity with no jitters or crashes.
Free from stimulants, Energy goes a long way in boosting your mental vitality and exercise intensity. Even better, it does just that without a megadose of caffeine known to cause jitters, energy crashes, and more.
Conclusion
When it comes to using caffeine pills for running, it’s safe to say that they can benefit you greatly so long as you use them correctly. Not only will they provide you with a much-needed energy boost, they’ll also increase your alertness, and can even help you lose weight in the long run. But always remember to choose your caffeine pills wisely – opting for a product with a reasonable dosage per serving. If you’re able to do just that, you’ll likely avoid side effects such as jitters or energy crashes – issues that you needn’t worry about when using supplements such as Performance Lab Stim.
Try Performance Lab Stim Today
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*Images courtesy of Performance Lab
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16076989/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21040626/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK27988/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18606630
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5445139/
