Late last year, a team of scientists from Brazil published the results of a study exploring the effects of a performance-enhancing drug on fourteen male recreational cyclists. The benefits were astounding. Subjects completed a sixteen kilometer time trial more than 40 seconds faster when they had ingested the drug compared to when they had just taken a placebo pill, a remarkable difference considering the trial took on average around 27 minutes to complete. What’s more, the drug was very safe at the dose administered, about six milligrams per kilogram of body weight. The takeaway: any competitive athlete in an aerobic sport would crazy not to use it!

So what is this wonder drug? It’s good ol’ caffeine.