Caffeine is a well-known stimulant substance used by athletes, students, and workers to provide an energy boost and enhance alertness throughout the day. However, while caffeine offers some positive effects, it can also cause negative side effects as well. With the massive growth of esports – i.e., organized competitive video gaming (Jenny et al., 2017), esports players are known to often consume caffeine But, is caffeine good or bad for esports players?

Positive Effects

Caffeine has numerous positive effects on individuals who consume it. The most common effect of caffeine is that it provides increased alertness and focus. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can help enhance mental alertness and focus (Fiani et al., 2021). The increased state of awareness can be beneficial for esports players who need to maintain concentration and react quickly while gaming.

Caffeine can also enhance cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and decision-making (Borota et al., 2014). Esports require high amounts of cognition for high-level gameplay. Thus, cognitive benefits potentially offered through caffeine intake could help players strategize more efficiently and adapt to changing game situations through improved decision-making.

It has also been demonstrated that caffeine can help reduce feelings of fatigue and increase physical and mental endurance (Smirmaul et al., 2016). These effects could allow esports players to sustain high levels of performance over extended gaming sessions.

Caffeine consumption has been associated with improved mood and feelings of well-being (Hartney, 2021). This can be beneficial for esports players to maintain a positive mindset during gameplay. Overall, moderate caffeine intake can provide players with many positive effects.

Negative Side Effects

Still, caffeine can provide negative side effects on individuals, particularly in high amounts. Consuming too much caffeine can lead to feelings of jitteriness, restlessness, and anxiety (Klevebrant & Frick, 2022). These factors may negatively impact focus and concentration during gameplay, which could negatively affect performance. It is recommended that individuals not consume more than 400 milligrams of caffeine each day (U.S. Food and Drug Administration [USFDA], 2024).

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can also interfere with sleep quality and duration, especially when consumed at night. According to sleepeducation.com, “caffeine can delay the timing of your body clock, reduce total sleep time, and make you feel tired in the mornings” (Sleep Education, 2018). Poor sleep can result in fatigue, decreased alertness, and impaired cognitive functions which could affect gaming performance the following day. It is recommended to not consume caffeine four to six hours before bedtime (USFDA, 2024).

High doses of caffeine can cause acute bouts of rapid heartbeat and elevated blood pressure, but long-term effects are minimal fortunately (Green et al., 1996). This may lead to feelings of discomfort and distract esports players during gameplay.

Caffeine can also increase urine production and lead to dehydration if not consumed alongside water or an electrolyte beverage (Costantino et al., 2023). Dehydration can negatively impact cognitive functions, reaction times, and physical performance during gameplay. Esports players must be mindful of their caffeine intake to potentially avoid these negative effects.

Conclusion

Overall, moderate caffeine consumption can potentially benefit esports performance by increasing alertness, focus, and endurance. However, it’s important for esports players to be cautious of their caffeine intake and to avoid excessive consumption, especially at night so that sleep patterns are not disrupted. Individuals may respond differently to how caffeine directly impacts them, so it’s essential to find the right balance that works best for the individual. Caffeine is proven to provide both positive and negative effects, and it’s based on how the player reacts to the stimulant regarding whether it’s good or bad for esports performance.

Note

Note: Katelyn Mumma is a Sport Management major from Harrisburg, PA at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (SRU). She is a student in Dr. Seth Jenny’s “Introduction to Esports” course in the Department of Exercise Science at SRU.

References

Borota, D., Murray, E., Keceli, G., Chang, A., Watabe, J. M., Ly, M., Toscano, J. P., & Yassa, M. A. (2014, February 12). Post-study caffeine administration enhances memory consolidation in humans. Nature Neuroscience, 17(2), 201-203. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3623

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Spilling the beans: How much caffeine is too much? https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much

Costantino, A., Maiese, A., Lazzari, J., Casula, C., Turillazzi, E., Frati, P., & Fineschi, V. (2023). The dark side of energy drinks: A comprehensive review of their impact on the human body. Nutrients, 15(18), 3922. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15183922

Fiani, B., Zhu, L., Musch, B. L., Briceno, S., Andel, R., Sadeq, N., & Ansari, A. Z. (2021). The neurophysiology of caffeine as a central nervous system stimulant and the resultant effects on cognitive function. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.15032

Green, P. J., Kirby, R., & Suls, J. (1996). The effects of caffeine on blood pressure and heart rate: a review. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 18(3), 201-216. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02883398

Hartney, E. (2021, July 8). Caffeine: Everything you’ve been afraid to ask. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-are-the-effects-of-caffeine-on-the-brain-21842

Jenny, S., Manning, R. D., Keiper, M. C., & Olrich, T. W. (2017). Virtual(ly) athletes: Where esports fit within the definition of “sport”. Quest, 69(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2016.1144517

Klevebrant, L., & Frick, A. (2022). Effects of caffeine on anxiety and panic attacks in patients with panic disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. General Hospital Psychiatry, 74, 22–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.11.005

Sleep Education. (2018, January 29). Sleep and caffeine. https://sleepeducation.org/sleep-caffeine

Smirmaul, B. P., de Moraes, A. C., Angius, L., & Marcora, S. M. (2016). Effects of caffeine on neuromuscular fatigue and performance during high-intensity cycling exercise in moderate hypoxia. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 117(1), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3496-6

This microblog post was a featured post in #slowchathealth’s #microblogmonth event. You can search for all of the featured posts here. Please do follow each of the outstanding contributors on social media (including Katelynn Mumma, the author of this post) and consider writing a microblog post of your own to be shared with the global audience of slowchathealth.com

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