There are many positive effects which caffeine holds with it. Usually we have been focusing on the negative effects that caffeine holds but this time I am discussing the positive effects of caffeine intake.
Caffeine helps in exercise
Caffeine helps to increase strength because it triggers the release of epinephrine from the adrenal glands, resulting in improved muscle contractions. When this happens, perceived exertion is reduced, allowing athletes to push more weight without making a conscious decision to work harder. While these benefits are not long-lasting, regular use of caffeine before exercise will lead to the long-term benefit of improved strength, which of course is clearly associated with increased muscle mass. (Amir, pp. 295-305)
Furthermore, caffeine consumption shouldn't affect your muscles' growth rate due to appetite suppression. Caffeine, especially when taken with ephedrine, suppresses appetite. However, by itself, caffeine's ability to do so seems to be much weaker. If you're taking a thermogenic product, chances are that it contains several other ingredients, some of which are likely more responsible for your decreased appetite than the caffeine itself. (Bakan, pp. 325-332)
My research says that one should take preworkout caffeine during all phases of a bodybuilding program as its one of the most thoroughly researched and proven ergogenic supplements available. If you take caffeine 45 minutes before exercise and then work out for 60-90 minutes, your appetite should be somewhat recovered within an hour, post-exercise. If you simply cannot stomach whole food after your workout, just switch your post-workout meal to a protein/carb shake, which will be much easier to get down and may be absorbed more rapidly. (Bullock, Gilliland, pp. 113-123)
As for how much caffeine to take before that workout, try 2 mg per pound of bodyweight (so a 200-pound bodybuilder should take 400 mg). IFBB pro George Farah placed sixth at the 2004 Night of Champions. In addition to his own bodybuilding career, he has worked with other top lifters, including David Palumbo and Erick Fromm................
