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Man has been searching for ways of improving athletic performance since at least 400 BC, when the hearts of lion were believed to impart benefits<ref name="CaffLionHeart"/>. Today, caffeine can improve performance in endurance running, and three of every four elite athletes take caffeine when competing<ref name="CaffUse"/>. Caffeine is one of the most widely used drugs in the world<ref name="CaffWorld"/>, with average daily intakes worldwide of 70mg/day, but higher in the US (~200mg/day) and the UK (~400mg/day)<ref name="CaffDependence"/>. Caffeine has many effects on many different tissue types, directly and through its metabolites, as well as stimulating adrenaline release<ref name="CaffMetaAndPerf"/>.
=Performance =
Studies have shown caffeine can improve performance by ~2%<ref name="CaffMeta"/>. Though much greater improvements (~12%) have been shown in laboratory conditions, these are not likely to be seen in real world race conditions<ref name="CaffMeta"/>. That ~2% represents 3.5 minutes on a 3 hour marathon, nearly 5 minutes on a 4 hour marathon. For the 5K, that represents 25 seconds on a 21 minute 5K, or 18 seconds on a 15 minute 5K. Caffeine tends to benefit fitter individuals more<ref name="CaffMeta"/>. Caffeine may improve performance by reducing the [[Rating of Perceived Exertion|RPE]]<ref name="CafRPE"/> and muscle [[Muscle]] pain<ref name="CafMusclePain"/>.
==Green Tea and Performance==
There is relatively little research concerning the effect of tea on athletic performance. However, one study did show that the green tea extract increased fat burning and glucose tolerance during cycling at 60% [[VO2max|V̇O<sub>2</sub>max]] without affecting [[Heart Rate]] or overall energy consumption<ref name="Venables-2008"/>.