Statistics say that 70-80% of competitive athletes of any level take caffeine on the day of the competition. What effect does it have on performance? How much and when should I take it? These and other curiosities are answered by Dr. Luca Mondazzi, head of the sports nutrition and dietology service for wellness at the Mapei Sport Research Center in Olgiate Olona (Varese, Italy). «It is clear that caffeine is effective in increasing sports performance in many disciplines. There is a large variety of effects from athlete to athlete, but some indications apply to everyone. In order to positively influence the performance capacity, it is advisable to take 3 mg per kg of weight, about an hour before the start of the competition. An espresso cup contains on average 100 mg of caffeine».

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