That caffeine doesn't work for everyone? More fitness bullsh*t... The science is clear!

You know - some people have a strong espresso and fall asleep, others have their afternoon coffee and stare at the ceiling until morning. It's no wonder that the fitness world has come to believe that whether caffeine before a workout helps you perform better depends entirely on your DNA.

But science has great news for coffee lovers: when it comes to physical performance, genetics don't matter that much.

A myth called CYP1A2

It's true that our DNA influences how quickly the body metabolises caffeine. A gene called CYP1A2 plays a major role in this. It has led many athletes to believe that if they haven't pulled the "right" genetic lottery (i.e. they're not one of the so-called fast metabolizers), caffeine won't help them in their workouts.

But a new triple-blind study has clearly debunked this myth. Researchers found that caffeine before training has been shown to improve strength and muscular endurance in all groups tested, regardless of which variant of the gene they have.

Genetics may slightly affect how huge the benefit is, but the point remains the same: no one loses the benefits of caffeine and no one performs worse than without it.

The golden dose: How much is enough?

You don't need to pour gallons of pre-workout or drastic doses of stimulants to squeeze more out of your workout.

Studies have shown that the optimal dose is around 200 mg of caffeine (roughly 3 mg per kilogram of body weight).

What does this mean in practice?

• It's approximately two regular cups of coffee.
• This dose is enough to block adenosine receptors in the brain.
• As a result, fatigue is delayed and the feeling of exertion is reduced - the dumbbells simply seem a little lighter.

Save on tests

The conclusion is quite simple: you don't need any expensive genetic tests to find out if coffee before exercise makes sense. It does for all of us. Instead of researching your DNA, just have a cup or two before heading to the gym and go for it.