Multisport Magazine October 2018 | Page 32

TO CAFFEINE OR NOT TO CAFFEINE? I t’s a sad fact that often in the news these days we hear tragedy. industry, it can handle A young boy goes into cardiac arrest on a soccer field. A 50 year FAAE are entrenched old woman collapses at a trail run. A 25 year old man falls to the scale events like The Ko floor at a gym and doesn’t get up. And it happens much more the GC50 Run Festival. often than you realise. Every 12 minutes in fact. And that’s not a defibrillator supplier to typo – every 12 minutes, an Australian will die from some form of Games, providing 150 heart disease. during the Games. BY HA N uplifting Y A L L to S hear T O the N ‘good news’ stories; that young boy So N it’s “We’re really proud was revived in minutes due to the coach that sprinted for the groups and getting the onsite defibrillator; that 50 year old woman was defibrillated in 3 of having easily access minutes due to a roving medic that had a defibrillator at the event; parkrun Australia have and that 25 year old man made a full recovery as he was defibbed their quick thinking an within 2 minutes via the AED in the wall cabinet above his head. wonderful to see as th The importance of having a defibrillator onsite at sporting in tragedy. clubs, events and gyms cannot be understated. And it’s vitally “I guess the key mes get the right for your circumstances. s a performance coach specialising in trail and ultra- important to you would in a one non-caffeinated state. Unless you are ruthless for a tragedy before yo of First putting Aid Accident & Emergency (FAAE), reactive. Don’t wait for distance running, I am frequently asked about the use Director of about this energy back in whilst on Scott your caffeine-high, encourages organisations to not only get a hole defibrillator caffeine a supplement to performance. With almost Whimpey, every then you can be digging your own energy that may be Club before you finally for their business, but get impossible, the right one their needs. one from ever happen sports nutrition brand providing caffeinated options, difficult, or to near to for return from. “As an avid runner and multisport competitor myself, I cannot In addition to defibr from gels to chews to beverages, I believe it is important to stress the importance of having a defib onsite, especially training throughout So address the question – to caffeine or not to caffeine? Sadly, as you enough CAFFEINE IS A DIURETIC sporting clubs concept and events,” would that have to first aid, CPR, advance will soon find out, whilst there are some good rules to abide around by, The same holds says true Scott. for the “I effect caffeine has on our say one of the best for As that scenario be the HeartSine are available a everyone is different. Using caffeine requires you to understand hydration. caffeine is a would mild diuretic, it can give an athlete Classes the samaritan 360P defibrillator. It’s one of the toughest ones out while thinking, (with specials now ava the science, your own body’s response to this common stimulant, sensation of needing to stop behind a tree, all the there, but also one I must of the be easiest to use If in you regards to technology and then to deliberately practice and observe its effects ‘great, hydrated’. are zinging along in your race www.firstaidae.c and transportability. And with one it of IP ratings in the during exercise. on your caffeine high, is the also highest imperative to keep on top of your fluids, preferably using an electrolyte higher in sodium. THAT IS THE QUESTION! A CAFFEINE IS A STIMULANT Let us begin with the most important concept. Caffeine is a stimulant. It acts to give you a false sense of energy, helping to heighten alertness and enhance wakefulness. In competition, these effects can help someone to feel more responsive to the challenges of the sport, overcome fatigue (both physical and mental), and to also mask pain (more on this soon). However, herein lies the caution. If caffeine is a stimulant and can help someone to feel like a relative of Superman, then it is likely that this individual is working at a heightened level of physical and mental exertion. Underlying this is still the same body requiring the same amount of energy, if not more, to maintain its level of performance. If you are someone who uses caffeine, then it is highly likely that you are chewing into energy reserves faster than 32 | MULTISPORT MAGAZINE CAFFEINE HAS DIFFERENT EFFECTS ON DIFFERENT PEOPLE I am a tea drinker and even a small influx of caffeine will hit me hard, so hard in fact that my mind begins to race and I begin to feel a little bit jittery. My husband on the other hand loves a coffee, or two, or three. Whilst I opt for the tea leaves, he will grind, filter and create an espresso with negligible effects on his physiology or psyche. Out on the trail, the enormous difference of caffeine’s effects on our bodies continues to be evident. For me, even a portion of a caffeinated gel is like putting a firecracker in a tin can. The nearly instantaneous pulse of caffeine resonates throughout my body, causing me to feel zingy, jittery and uncomfortable.