I put this here as I'm interested in caffeine's use in training (not diet & nutrition or even health wise).

I've personally fond that when I've used pre-workout drinks with caffeine (<=200mg on average) my training sessions benefit.

This post is really regards to using "pure caffeine" in my own pre-workout drink. That is, buy some caffeine caps/powder and add/take pre-workout.

What are people's experience with this? And dosages? Seems that 200mg is good to aim for.

Also, purebulk sell a natural coffee extract: http://purebulk.com/caffeine-natural-coffee-extract - does this offer benefits over a synthetic form? It's better health wise (well, slightly better over all) to use a natural substance for sure.

TIA

I take 100mg before most workouts, or 150g if I'm feeling knackered and/or really want to gun it; I think I'd probably be off my tits on 200mg but then I'm not a tea or coffee drinker so my tolerance is (hopefully) fairly low.

I just neck a couple of Pro Plus pills, the cost is neglible vs the convenience, plus caffeine doesn't seem worth the risk of getting the dosage wrong (or even confusing it for creatine, eh Max! )

^^ yeah had thought of pro-plus. And this year I've about 3 cups of coffee (after having 1 day for 18 months), and don't drink tea (green tea rarely which is low). So I too am quite sensitive.

Def agree with the dosage needing to be right. Maybe the dose I have had is less actually.

I need to take about 800mg in pure form for it to have any effect on my training. If i take it take it too often the effective dose just increases to about 1.5grams which is ridiculous.

I dont think a natural extract would be any different to the straight power, its the same alkaloid at the end of the day. Although according the description "This pure bulk powder is assayed by the manufacturer to be 100.3% caffeine" you'll be getting .3% extra caffiene in every serving

one tablespoon of nescafe in hot water and then mixed with some cooler water and downed. thats all i need and take right now. works well for me

unfortunately can't use it due to headaches

two teaspoon of organic coffee downed in one. Coffee has all kinds of nice compounds in, i don't see the logic in pure caffeine. I up it to 3 teaspoons for strength improvements, but i rarely use that.

Have to say that one of the best things I did was to stop supplementing with caffeine. I'm sure there are benefits using coffee over pure caffeine but as I can't stand the stuff I'll happily go without.

lol, if i remember correctly at one point you were on eph and caffeine hits 3 times aday!

Karlos wrote:lol, if i remember correctly at one point you were on eph and caffeine hits 3 times aday!

Big time at one point and gruadually bought it down to just pre workout and now nothing at all.

I usually have a cup of strong real coffee or a can of red bull before a weights session. Its the only time I really have caffeine now, so I get plenty from it. If I start using caffeine more regularly I just build up a tolerance to it really fast.

I also drink a fair bit of green tea Ollie - quite a lot of Maccha which can be higher in caffeine but I dont find it has the same heavy stimulant effect on me as coffee.

Richard wrote:I also drink a fair bit of green tea Ollie - quite a lot of Maccha which can be higher in caffeine but I dont find it has the same heavy stimulant effect on me as coffee.

Green tea contains caffiene of course but also reasonable levels of the amino acid theanine... which is a relaxant and offsets the stimulatory effect of caffiene. I love the stuff - is the only hot drink i have regularly.

such a shame it's slightly acidic, otherwise it would be perfect.

I'm getting into my herbal teas. Peppermint is great. And I've got a three ginger tea (Ginger, Galangal, Golden turmeric) on order.

Yes - white tea! Good taste Ollie

I switch between the two and am just starting on my white tea stockpile today

health4ni wrote:such a shame it's slightly acidic, otherwise it would be perfect.

I'm getting into my herbal teas. Peppermint is great. And I've got a three ginger tea (Ginger, Galangal, Golden turmeric) on order.

You can add lemon or orange to reduce the acid ash - either a slice or just squeeze some juice in. My girlfriend really got me into greentea with a slice of orange and a tiny drop of local honey... lovely!

Dtlv74 wrote:

health4ni wrote:such a shame it's slightly acidic, otherwise it would be perfect.

I'm getting into my herbal teas. Peppermint is great. And I've got a three ginger tea (Ginger, Galangal, Golden turmeric) on order.

You can add lemon or orange to reduce the acid ash - either a slice or just squeeze some juice in. My girlfriend really got me into greentea with a slice of orange and a tiny drop of local honey... lovely!

Yes mate, I add pH drops or indeed lemon. Orange is acidic though. And so is honey Nice though.

ollie wrote:That 3 ginger stuff sounds good. Got a link/source?

http://www.pukkaherbs.com/file/1c646bd2 ... r-tea.html

My local Tesco do them actually

Tree hugging hippies.

Alex wrote:Tree hugging hippies.

Fish-dodger.

(I'm about to apply for a job with Pukka Herbs actually, so will have to wear the hippy badge with pride if that comes to fruition).

Alex wrote:Tree hugging hippies.

And proud!

health4ni wrote:Yes mate, I add pH drops or indeed lemon. Orange is acidic though. And so is honey Nice though.

I thought orange was a mild alkaliser and honey neutral? there are discrepancies in the alkali/acid lists though so i may have just looked at a few duff lists.

health4ni wrote:such a shame it's slightly acidic, otherwise it would be perfect.

I'm getting into my herbal teas. Peppermint is great. And I've got a three ginger tea (Ginger, Galangal, Golden turmeric) on order.

Peppermint is an anti androgen.

Dtlv74 wrote:I thought orange was a mild alkaliser and honey neutral? there are discrepancies in the alkali/acid lists though so i may have just looked at a few duff lists.

yeah, orange is definitely acidic, as is honey... even more sugar. Too many incorrect lists out there.

Craig wrote:

health4ni wrote:such a shame it's slightly acidic, otherwise it would be perfect.

I'm getting into my herbal teas. Peppermint is great. And I've got a three ginger tea (Ginger, Galangal, Golden turmeric) on order.

Peppermint is an anti androgen.

bugger! In the bin it goes lol

Give it to the wife, test in women is not a good thing!