Caffeine improves speed, endurance, strength, and reaction time in athletes. Take 3 to 6 mg per kilogram of body weight about an hour before competition, but only if you're well-rested and well-fed. Skip it before evening events because it'll wreck your sleep.
Athletes, when should you be using your caffeine? Caffeine can be an awesome tool in your athletic performance. It can enhance your speed, it can enhance your endurance, it can enhance your strength, and it can even enhance your reaction time and your cognitive function. But I would never ever recommend caffeine to athletes who do not get enough sleep and to athletes who do not get enough food, because then these become more of a crutch than an aid. If you are dialed in on those two things, then you can use 3 to 6 milligrams per kilogram of caffeine about 1 hour before your performance, and you'll be able to get the benefits that I talked about earlier. However, if you have a late, like 7 PM game, don't even think about this because it can end up hurting you more than it will end up helping you because of the effect that it will have on your sleep later on that night.
