Can Caffeine Boost Performance in Cricket?

Caffeine has been one of the most studied ingredients in sports nutrition with numerous studies proving it to be an effective ergogenic aid, it helps athletes perform at their peak across a variety of sports, with its use particularly widespread in endurance events.

It’s use in cricket is also growing, particularly at the elite level, because research shows it can enhance prolonged intermittent high-intensity efforts, enhance maximal aerobic capacity, improve acute or chronic concentration levels, and decrease perception of effort.

Staying focussed and alert is important in all areas of cricket from batting to fielding and caffeine supplementation can aid with this as well. We spoke with Corey Miles, Head of Athletic Development at the Northern Districts Cricket Association, New Zealand about how he uses Revvies to keep the teams he works with performing at their peak. 'Having Revvies Energy Strips on hand allows the Northern Districts Knights and Spirit seamless and effortless access to caffeine supplementation. The strips are absorbed via saliva, allowing the fastest route possible to the brain and nervous system. On game day athletes have enough on their plate without having to worry about timing of a caffeinated beverage or snack prior to performance.'

Because with Revvies strips the caffeine absorbs through the mouth they provide their boost in less than 5 mins compared to drinks, tablets of gels that absorb through the gut and take 45-60 minutes to reach their peak.

As Corey says 'The players genuinely loved having the Revvies Energy Strips. Some have said it adds to the ‘fizz’ level when walking onto the pitch, both when batting and bowling/fielding.'

Revvies are also becoming a favoured caffeine source for many elite players including Aussie international, Josh Phillipe for several reasons. One being that Revvies provide a known amount of caffeine with each strip (either 40mg or 100mg), so players know they are getting exactly the right amount for their needs and can therefore avoid the risk of over or under stimulation that can be an issue with coffee where caffeine levels can vary hugely due to bean type, brew length and even the barista.

Research suggests that 1-3mg of caffeine per kg of bodyweight provides performance benefits but with reduced risk of side effects that can come from consuming it in large amounts. People have different tolerances to caffeine so this amount may vary up or down depending on an individual’s sensitivity, so experimenting in training is important to determine a players optimal amount.

To make this easy Revvies come in either 40mg or extra strength 100mg caffeine strips. Corey says 'Having the different strengths of the Revvies products available ensures that we can cater for every individual in the team, both heavy and minimal-none coffee drinkers.'

Caffeine is a WADA approved supplement and Revvies are accredited through the Informed Sport quality certification program. This means that every batch is tested for WADA banned substances, ensuring purity and providing sportspeople with peace of mind when taking Revvies strips.

There are many benefits to caffeine supplementation, both in Cricket and sport in general for more information feel free to drop us a line help@revviesenergy.co.uk or read another of our articles online.