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18 May 2005

AIS sets the record straight on caffeine use in sport

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) does not advocate the use of caffeine supplements for children and the organisation does not promote the use of caffeine to athletes for performance enhancement, the Director of the AIS, Professor Peter Fricker said today.

Professor Fricker said the AIS does provide responsible and well-researched advice to sports and athletes on the impact of caffeine use in performance, as it provides advice on all areas of nutrition and physical preparation for elite athletes.

The AIS also provides sports and athletes with education and advice on the possible adverse side effects of using large doses of caffeine and, if a decision is taken to use it, recommends that it only be consumed in small doses and under medical supervision.

The AIS Director sought to clarify a number of inaccurate assumptions and comments which have appeared in the media over the past few days:

• The AIS does not work with the Australian Wallabies in the use of caffeine to enhance sporting performance, though it has provided some advice to the Brumbies Super 12 rugby franchise in this area.

• The AIS does not actively promote the use of caffeine to enhance sporting performance.

• Caffeine has never been a banned substance and was only ever on a restricted list with a positive test recorded above a certain level in the urine. It is widely used in food and beverages and it would be impossible to ban outright without banning coffee and other beverages and foodstuffs that contain caffeine.

• AIS research indicates that it is in fact very low doses of caffeine that may have some performance benefit for athletes.

• These doses are the equivalent to 1-2 cups of coffee, and the impact may be up to 3% for some endurance activities, as opposed to the reported intake of up to six caffeine tablets and an impact of up to 7%.

• The AIS has advised that there are health risks associated with the higher doses.

• Recognising that some athletes may legally choose to use caffeine, the AIS has implemented proactive measures to educate athletes regarding caffeine and sport performance.

• This includes increasing the awareness of the health issues and side-effects associated with the use of caffeine.

Professor Fricker said the AIS does not believe that the World Anti-Doping Agency should give consideration to placing caffeine on the banned list.

‘The extent of use in caffeine in sport is currently unknown,’ Fricker said.

‘Further, the beneficial effects at low doses are well within the range of the usual daily caffeine intakes of most members of the community,” he added.

Caffeine is currently already on the 2005 WADA Monitoring Program for use in competition.

Under this program WADA is monitoring a number of medications to detect patterns of misuse in sport.

Media contact: Peter Logue, Media Liaison, (02) 6214 1204 or 0402 067 614

Australian Sports Commission, Leverrier Cres, Bruce ACT 2617PO Box 176, Belconnen ACT 2616Telephone: +61 02 6214 1111Facsimile: +61 02 6251 2680
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