Studies have shown that drinking caffeine about an hour before working out can help boost endurance, energy, and performance, but the findings are mixed as to whether caffeine has an effect on power or strength.
Some studies have shown that drinking 150-200 mg of caffeine (similar to a Starbucks grande vanilla latte), may boost performance, while others recommend increasing it to 2.5-5 mg per kg of bodyweight (about 200-400 mg of caffeine for a 180-pound guy). But people react differently to caffeine.聽For some, it鈥檚 a performance enhancer; for others, it can over-stimulate them and actually decrease performance.聽You may want to experiment with different amounts of caffeine during practice runs and workouts to see if it鈥檚 helpful to you.
Having caffeine on days when you feel tired or need an extra boost is a good strategy, but don鈥檛 rely on it as your main energy source. If you feel tired all the time, you鈥檙e probably not getting enough energy from real food. Also, caffeine shouldn鈥檛 replace your normal pre-workout snack (see for ideas), but should complement it. Stay away from energy drinks that have chemicals, colors, or high citric acid content. Stick to coffee or tea.
Bottom line: Caffeine can be helpful for some people, but you need to see what works for you.