No-Doz, No Good? The risks in using caffeine tablets to enhance physical performance
September 2, 2010 No Comments
No-Doz® is a brand name for a tablet containing highly concentrated levels of caffeine, which works to stimulate the central nervous system. The drug is commonly advertised to suggest that one tablet equates to having 1 espresso coffee.
These little pills have become a hot topic of conversation recently, especially in the AFL community where players have been seen taking as many as 3 prior to a match. Let me begin this discussion by saying that these tablets are in no way outlawed in the game of Aussie Rules or by any International sporting body.
What do they do?
Well, much like drinking a cup of coffee they act to ward off drowsiness and restore alertness by stimulating the central nervous system.
Awesome! So why would that be bad?
There are several possible setbacks in consuming these tablets:
- Firstly, just like coffee they are an addictive drug that your body can develop an increased tolerance for, and therefore you feel that you need to keep taking them or you won’t be able to function.
- They act as a diuretic. This means that they cause your kidneys to excrete more water (or increase the concentration of your urine) and result in partial dehydration.
- Once again, just like coffee they can act to upset your stomach, leading to cramping and bloating.
- Due to the increased alertness (which is multiplied by an individual playing a sport which boosts their adrenaline and gets them ‘pumped’) players can find they struggle to get to sleep post-match. This insomnia can develop into a longer term problem if the drug is consumed on a regular basis, or matches are played at night time.
- Finally, like any drug, in too larger doses they can lead to toxic effects on the body. At a certain level they can lead to Caffeine Toxicity, which usually consists of the ‘jitters’, irritability, difficulty concentrating, nausea, dizzyness and a light headed sensation.
So how much is too much?
A typical No-Doz® tablet in Australia will contain 100mg of caffeine. Studies have shown that toxicity can occur within a range of 3-14 tablets (or 300-1400mg). So just taking 3 tablets (depending on your body size) could be enough to send you into caffeine toxicity.
Ok, well haven’t those footy players been using them?
In my personal opinion these drugs are not performance enhancing, they simply increase your level of alertness. But I also wouldn’t recommend they be consumed prior to a match either. In the AFL matches are often played in the evening, so taking caffeine this late in the day may influence an individuals ability to fall asleep. Therefore, my main concern is that players are taking these pills, playing a high octane sport, and over stimulating their nervous system. Then once they get home post match they cannot sleep, so they throw back a couple of sleeping tablets to negate the effects of the first drug. And yes, sleeping tablets are prescription only medication, so the team doctors KNOW that they are partaking in this dangerous series of events, but fail to discourage it! I ask where does it end? If you get too drowsy do you take another upper in order to bring you back to normal… oh wait, I’m too alert again, another sleeping tablet please! 
I honestly do not think that these tablets have a place in the sporting world, not because they are performance enhancing, but because they are unnecessary and potentially causing more harm than good. If you can’t get yourself excited for a match, maybe your playing the wrong sport?
Happy living!
Dr Christopher Hodgetts is a chiropractor at Hillarys Chiropractic, Perth Western Australia. Read more…
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