200mg Caffeine pill before cardio?

kait_marie24
kait_marie24 Posts: 99 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all,

I have been taking 200mg of caffeine pills before I do cardio. I do this about 3 days a week. I find that it gives me more energy to work out and makes my workouts last longer and more intense. My question is - is this a dangerous habit? My boyfriend thinks that It's risky but I haven't found much on the internet on it. What do you think?

Replies

  • CdnRower
    CdnRower Posts: 28 Member
    Yes and no. I would only use it on the days when you feel you need it. We row 22 km in morning 6 days a week during Spring/Summer and take 200-300mg caffeine each day. However... You're going to need to cycle it. Your CNS (central nervous system) gets used to it. I do 6 weeks on, 2 off. In the Fall/Winter I only take caffeine on Leg Day. Give that a try.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Is it dangerous? Not really, assuming no medical conditions that might impact the conversation. Caffeine is a pretty common stimulant, and while 200mg is a fairly large dose, it's not crazy high.

    On a side note, most people will see diminishing response over time as the body becomes more tolerant of continued use.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    edited October 2014
    Only use it when you need it/you would fail to finish your workouts without it. Otherwise, you will need progressively more caffeine over time

    A doctor can tell you about whether it is dangerous for you specifically. We do not know your medical history. In general, about 400 milligrams caffeine a day is safe for most people, which is ~4 cups of brewed coffee. You may need reduce other caffeine in your day (coffee, soda, chocolate, energy drinks) if you want to continue taking 200 mg of caffeine. f you have a heart condition, are pregnant or nursing, or are on certain medications, caffeine levels need to be lower.
  • pope66682
    pope66682 Posts: 249 Member
    edited October 2014
    Its only dangerous if you don't have the willpower to stop. People can become addicted to caffeine pills, and then your body will become reliant on them. Not a good place.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Given that a cup of coffee has between 80 & 100mg caffeine in it you're really only taking the equivalent to 2 cups of coffee. Would this be in addition to your morning java? If it is you could be pushing the envelope in terms of overall caffeine intake for the day (I've read in a number of reputable sources that up to 400mg daily is safe for most adults)
  • earlyxer
    earlyxer Posts: 240 Member
    I hit the gym at 4 am... If I didn't take half a 5-hour Energy I'd never get through it.
  • Thaifarang
    Thaifarang Posts: 19
    Please be aware that caffeine can cause heart arrithmyas. Even in very fit healthy people. And yes it is a relatively low dose but unless it is a delayed release capsule that entire dose of caffeine will be hitting your system at once. Not spaced out over the time it takes to drink a couple of coffees. I guess what I am saying is be aware of what is going on after you take the caffeine and are exercising
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    whatever happened to suck it up and get it done?

  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    It's pretty much the same as drinking two 8 oz. cups of coffee. I'd say you could do a lot worse, so I wouldn't worry about it much.

    If you decide to stop taking the pills though, be prepared for withdrawal headaches and that sort of thing.
  • Steff46
    Steff46 Posts: 516 Member
    I use to take two Vivarin (caffeine pills) before a big day of mountain biking. It helped me with energy and kept me alert. I had to stop because I would get terrible headaches the next day.
  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    Given that a cup of coffee has between 80 & 100mg caffeine in it you're really only taking the equivalent to 2 cups of coffee. Would this be in addition to your morning java? If it is you could be pushing the envelope in terms of overall caffeine intake for the day (I've read in a number of reputable sources that up to 400mg daily is safe for most adults)

    Just want to point out that 200mg is considered the max safe dose in a 24 hour period. That said, most people far exceed that regularly.

    I take pure caffeine powder that I measure out and put in my tea. I never go over 125mg because my tea has some in it too so I don't want to push it. As long as you don't have a medical condition or react badly to it, you should be okay (a doc would know more).

    Some side effects to look for include fast heart rate, dizziness, shaking hands/tremors, difficulty breathing and tunnel vision. If you have any of those, you may want to dial it back.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    GothyFaery wrote: »

    Just want to point out that 200mg is considered the max safe dose in a 24 hour period.

    Source?
  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
    edited October 2014
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    GothyFaery wrote: »

    Just want to point out that 200mg is considered the max safe dose in a 24 hour period.

    Source?

    Well to be perfectly honest, that was going off of a research paper I wrote several years ago. I tried to find a reputable source just now and it appears what they consider a safe daily dose has gone up since then. 400mg does seem to be the most agreed upon answer.

    400mg seems to be more practical sense most people drink 200+mg of caffeine in coffee everyday. Sorry for the outdated/misinformation.

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