8 Things Runners Should Know About Coffee
I am a coffee lover, the flavor, the aroma, the taste… that fresh espresso coming out of the machine, it is something that I just love.
Simply put, I can refer to 8 things you should know about coffee:
Caffeine improves performance…
As coffee or in other forms, consuming caffeine before a physical activity is likely to help you to go farther and faster than when you go without it. There are hundreds of studies showing the improvements in endurance or sprint sports. Maybe that is why Redbull gives you wiiings (like the Roman God Mercury).
…but it works best when timed right…
Well, we are not going to have a drink of coffee just before or hours before we start our routine. There are studies recommending that the best time to take caffeine for a performance boost is just 1 hour before starting your workout.
…and it’s possible to have too much.
Just like everything, high doses can have negative impacts like dizziness, anxiety and heart palpitations. What is a good size to get the benefits: between three to six milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. In other words, for a 150-pound person that’s roughly 12 ounces of strong coffee, or 1 Tall cup from Starbucks. Or for a 200-lb person, about a 1 Grande cup from Starbucks.
Coffee boosts your brain.
Coffee contains a number of substances: caffeine, Antioxidants, Tannines, Citric Acid… and polyphenols that have been shown to help people with dementia, stave off Alzheimer’s disease, and positively influence brain health. I rather get my caffeine from coffee 😊
Coffee isn’t proven to dehydrate you…
Studies have found drinking up to about five cups of coffee has little to no effect on hydration. However, I would recommend getting water for your adventure hydration, if you need to replenish electrolytes from your workout, consider one of those electrolyte drinks.
…but you may not need to swallow it to reap benefits.
A recent study in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism suggests that receptors in your mouth can sense the presence of caffeine and boost your performance, even when you spit out the drink… interesting fact, though.
Coffee may help post-exercise recovery, too.
One study had cyclists ride hard for two days in a row to put them in a glycogen-depleted state. Those who drank a recovery drink with carbs and caffeine rebuilt their glycogen stores by 66 percent more than those who drank only carbs. Time to try it, not at night so you can get a good recovery sleep as well.
You can do more than just drink coffee.
If a morning cup just isn’t enough, try topping your pancakes with coffee butter, whipping some coffee into a smoothie, or freezing coffee with herbs for a cold, caffeine-laced treat.
Picture credit:
Coffee Geek - Starbucks SecretLeave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
