Possible Benefits from Chlorogenic Acid Supplementation Via Coffee
by Melinda Burris

In the last five years, there have been a number of scientific studies conducted around the world to determine if the supposed benefits of chlorogenic acid (commonly found in coffee and tea) are substantiated by scientific evidence. Green coffee bean extract has been hailed as a natural fat burner that aids in fat loss and can prevent or treat type 2 diabetes by prompting the body to burn sugar, causing it not to build up in the bloodstream.

The ingestion of chlorogenic acid by drinking coffee has been described as a mood booster that also aids in post-exercise recovery and the reduction of oxidative stress. The benefits attributed to a diet high in chlorogenic acid have truly spanned the spectrum, being cited as being helpful to athletes looking for peak performance rates and as beneficial in maintaining high levels of cognitive function.

This article discusses the various studies and their findings to help our readers understand what is known about chlorogenic acid intake and what experts say requires additional study.

The Effects of Regular Coffee Drinking on Mood, Post-Exercise Recovery and Athletic Performance

This study included 15 cyclists as participants in a randomized, blind study. The participants were randomly selected to receive chlorogenic acid via CQA coffee administration or a placebo in the same amount – 300 milliliters. The study continued for two weeks with blood samples being collected from each participant pre- and post-supplementation and again immediately after all participants completed a 50 km cycling timed trial.¹ For two weeks, participants were given no CQA supplementation or placebo, to allow blood levels to return to normal.

For the following two weeks participants who had been given a placebo dose during the first phase of the study were given coffee high in chlorogenic acid while those who had been administered coffee in the first phase received a placebo fluid. The amount administered to each participant remained the same – 300 milliliters daily. Blood samples were again taken prior to administration of the coffee or placebo, post administration, and again immediately following exercise – the completion of a 50 km cycling timed trial.¹

It should be noted that the coffee used in this study was not store-bought or commercially available. The coffee used was specially prepared utilizing what is known as the Turkish method: “30 g lightly roasted, highly ground Hambela coffee beans in 300 ml boiling water.”¹ Using this method and precise amounts allowed researchers to use a coffee higher in CQA than what is commercially available. Using exact measurements enabled the scientists to quantify the amount of CQA and caffeine given to participants. The coffee contained 1,066 mg CAQ and 474 mg caffeine. The placebo drink contained 187 mg CQA and 33 mg caffeine.¹

Athletic performance was measured in terms of time performance and power and no significant statistical difference was noted between participants who received CQA coffee versus those who received the placebo. There was also no significant difference noted in post-exercise recovery times. There was a measurable difference in total mood disturbance (TMD) scores between participants who drank CQA coffee versus placebo. Those who drank coffee did have lower TMD scores, but the difference was not considered significant. In short, the study data did not “support the chronic use of coffee highly concentrated with chlorogenic acids and caffeine in mitigating postexercise inflammation or oxidative stress or improving 50-km cycling performance.”¹ In short, this study found no scientific evidence to support the belief that coffee rich in chlorogenic acids and high in caffeine had a positive effect on athletic performance, post-exercise recovery times, or a significant decrease in total mood disturbance.

Endurance Athletes

A 2016 literature review study was conducted and published by the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. The basis for conducting the study was described as “threefold: 1) to evaluate the effects of pre-exercise coffee on endurance performance, 2) to evaluate the effects of coffee on perceived exertion during endurance performance, and 3) to translate the research into usable information for athletes to make an informed decision regarding the intake of caffeine via coffee as a potential ergogenic aid.”² In layman’s terms, the belief that coffee had a positive effect on the performance of high-endurance athletes had become so prevalent, the scientific community agreed there was a need for a proper scientific investigation and the publication of its findings so the public could make a decision on how much coffee and caffeine to have in their daily diet based on the evidence available.

The review included nine studies found in three major databases. The studies included in the review “evaluated the effects of caffeinated coffee on human subjects, provided the caffeine dose administered, administered caffeine ≥ 45 min before testing, and included a measure of endurance performance (e.g., time trial).”² Interestingly, five out of nine of the studies reviewed showed “significant improvements in endurance performance…on average 24.2% over controls for time to exhaustion trials, and 3.1% for time to completion trials.”²

Six studies included data to analyze the perception of the amount of exertion required to complete a given exercise. 50% of these studies “found that coffee reduced perceived exertion during performance measures significantly more than control conditions.”² Researchers concluded based on the scientific studies reviewed, “there is moderate evidence supporting the use of coffee as an ergogenic aid to improve performance in endurance cycling and running.”² So, although the first study results discussed in this article showed no link between coffee (which contains chlorogenic acid) and caffeine in athletic performance, this literature review of nine scientific studies did conclude there is a positive physiological response to using coffee as an aid in energy production and control.

Other important findings noted in this literature study by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) include the following key conclusions:

1. Coffee is a complex substance made up of hundreds of compounds. The makeup of coffee varies widely based on several factors from the bean used, how it is roasted, the method of brewing, the water temperature used for brewing, the time taken, and the equipment used to complete the brewing process.³ In short, unless you habitually use the same coffee and prepare it in the same way, the effects you will experience (or lack thereof) will fluctuate to a wide extent.³
2. The compounds that constitute coffee “have neuromuscular, antioxidant, endocrine, cognitive, and metabolic (e.g. glucose disposal and vasodilation) effects that impact exercise performance and recovery.”³ These findings support arguments by sports nutritionists and trainers that coffee intake can have a positive effect on the body in numerous ways including enhanced athletic performance.
3. The ISSN stated that “optimal dosing and timing are approximately two to four cups…16-32 oz. of typical hot-brewed or reconstituted instant coffee” daily, with the precise amount to be determined based on body size and “individual sensitivity.”³ If you are considering adding coffee to your diet to find out if you experience these positive effects, it would be wise to start at the low end of the spectrum (two cups) ingested each day one hour prior to athletic activity.
4. Due to the small number of studies available on coffee and its effects on athletic performance, cognitive function, and other bodily systems, the ISSN concludes more research studies are needed.³ (This is also the consensus of the scientific community at large.)

Conclusion

While more research is needed, the preponderance of scientific research does show that CQA and other substances in coffee, particularly caffeine, have a positive effect on athletic performance, post-exercise recovery times, and cognition.

References:

1.     Nieman, D.C., et al. (2018). Influence of 2-Weeks Ingestion of High Chlorogenic Acid Coffee on Mood State, Performance, and Postexercise Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: A Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial.

2.     Higgins, S., et al. (2016). The Effects of Preexercise Caffeinated Coffee Ingestion on Endurance Performance: An Evidence-Based Review.

3. Lowerey, L.M. et al. (2023). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Coffee and Sports Performance.