Caffeine Supplements and the Scientism of Fitness Marketing

An essay written under the influence of English Breakfast Tea

I have no interest in writing the sorts of articles that are so pervasive in the fitness blogging space: "Top 10 Benefits to the Pre-Workout." "How Caffeine Can Improve Your Performance." And so on. But as my editor assigned me the task of writing about caffeine as a supplement — it's coffee month, after all — and now I'm stuck with trying to figure out how to write about this topic without writing one of "those" sorts of essays. (It’s me. I’m the editor.)

As I noted with my essay on protein powders, the supplement industry is huge. HUGE. One of the concoctions frequently pitched to athletes is the "pre-workout" — typically some sort caffeine-enhanced mixture that promises to “boost your energy,” “aid in recovery,” “improve strength,” etc. These can have as much as 300 mg caffeine, or the equivalent of more than three cups of coffee. (Other common ingredients include creatine, collagen, and, no surprise if you're looking for a little jolt of something-something before working out, sugar.)

One common side-effect of the pre-workout, incidentally, some consumers report, is "tingling.” It's not only (and perhaps even not likely) the caffeine that causes this: it's a side effect of high doses of beta-alanine and niacin that these supplements contain. The former is in there ostensibly to delay muscular fatigue and as one supplement maker says, “the itch, or tingle, is just something to put up with on your way to getting those benefits.” LOL. Such a toxic sentiment. But hey!