Healthcare expert lauds caffeine positives

Paul Smithson

11/10/2011 10:37:21

The benefits of consuming caffeine have been discussed by a healthcare expert, who finds it to be an important part of her exercise regime.

Dr Pamela Peeke, assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland, wrote on the Huffington Post that she is preparing to run the 2012 Boston Marathon and has a variety of caffeinated drinks in her daily routine.

She stressed that everybody is different in terms of what their body can comfortably consume and it is important to pay attention to portion sizes, but suggested there is nothing wrong with enjoying the delicious products of a latte machine on a daily basis.

Explaining what caffeine does to a person’s body, Dr Peeke said: “It releases glucose into our blood stream, so we have extra fuel. Stress hormones and adrenaline naturally do this when we have a ‘fight or flight response’. Caffeine can augment this effect - increasing our amount of available fuel.”

In an interview with The Times of India, exercise physiologist David John described how Australian hockey teams tend to use some form of caffeine to help them bulk up.

Mr John, who has been working with the Indian hockey team for three months now, explained that caffeine increases the mobilisation of fat, which is the best “fuel” available to people.