Caffeine may be considered a potent stimulant, but whether it pumps up performance in exercise is debatable. While scientists aver that caffeine is likely to have performance-enhancing effects, they emphasize that the data on the compound have been mixed.

Many factors can affect caffeine`s impact on performance, including the type of exercise or sport and whether it is aerobic or anaerobic, caffeine dosing, the use of other stimulants and the length of rest intervals, the Journal of Caffeine Research reported.

Additional studies are needed to understand what factors can boost or inhibit the effects of caffeine and why some people may achieve enhanced performance with caffeine while others have not, according to a statement of the Journal.

Researcher Richard Bloomer and colleagues from Cardiorespiratory/Metabolic Lab, University of Memphis, looked specifically at the effects of caffeine and 1,3-dimethylamylamine (1,3-D) or geranamine, a natural stimulant derived from geranium flowers on one`s performance.

Geranamine has received a great deal of attention in recent years and is included in multiple dietary supplements including caffeine, targeting weight and fat loss, as well as enhanced physical performance.

Bloomer`s team found for the first time that oral geranamine intake by healthy men and women cause a spike in blood pressure, without impacting heart rate. The effect appears dose-dependent.

Source: IANS
Image: Flickr/creativecommons renaissancechambara