German hair care products company Alpecin has issued a cautionary anti-doping warning to athletes using their Caffeine infused shampoo.

”After various investigations and consultations with experts, we have felt obliged to warn athletes about the high doses of caffeine in the shampoo, in order to avoid potential controversies,” Eduard Dörrenberg CEO of Alpecin said. “We have been supporting and sponsoring elite sport for decades. Caffeine is a very effective substance, which is why we consider the warning to be very important.”

Caffeine has long been known to improve athletic performance and was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) from 1984-2004, although the agency and worldwide partners continue to test for it as part of a monitoring program. Its use is not prohibited, but is watched in case it once again becomes a doping concern. However, some university sports, including cycling, do limit the amount of caffeine athletes can use while competing.

As far as performance enhancing hair growth, studies show that regularly applying Caffeine to the scalp is beneficial for hair loss. After six months of daily use, people using shampoo juiced with Caffeine show a reduction in hair loss and an increase in hair thickness.  Though, using Caffeine in this manner will not improve cycling performance.

The amount of Caffeine in Alpecin shampoo absorbed through the scalp when used daily is equal to only half a cup of coffee or 50mg. Studies show that Caffeine can improve athletic performance when consumed at a rate of about 6mg per kg of body weight – or around 420mg for a 70kg rider.

Thus, using Alpecin Caffeine shampoo according to the instruction will not enhance athletic performance in anyway that would likely ever catch the attention of WADA or return a positive dope test.

But it might help prevent a receding hairline caused by wearing a helmet for hours on end…

Photo Credit: Alpecin

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