Caffeinated Energy Drinks Boost Physical Performance In Several Sport Modalities: Should They Be Considered By Antidoping Authorities?

Abstract

Caffeine has been consumed by man for centuries although the manner of consumption has varied among different geographical zones, according to the source of caffeine present in natural foods (e.g., coffee, tea, mate, guaraná, kola, etc.). By the end of XIX century, John S. Pemberton created the first non-natural caffeinated-beverage that contained caffeine form the kola nut. The use of this beverage – universally known as Coca-Cola- increased exponentially worldwide and favored the apparition of hundreds of commercial caffeinated drinks with similar characteristics. Although first energy drinks were marketed in Thailand in the 1970s, these drinks became widely popular when they were introduced in the European in the 1990s. Despite the commercial availability of numerous caffeinated beverages and foods, energy drinks have gained popularity in the last years, likely because they provide a higher dose of caffeine per serve