A Cup of Joe Before You Go to the Track? It May be Worth Your Time!
By Melinda Burris Willms
Caffeine has been used medicinally for over five hundred years, and a zero-calorie serving of coffee has been touted for the nutritional and performance benefits it can afford. That’s black coffee that contains no calories; add in the heap of milk, creamer and sugar used by the average American consumer, and we enter an entirely different conversation. Scientific studies have demonstrated a link between straight, simple, black coffee and improved physical performance, energy boost, increased mental focus and a host of other health advantages that can assist you in attaining and maintaining your personal health fitness goals.
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It is the potential coffee, as a provider of caffeine, offers for sought after energy boost and optimized physical prowess and endurance that has caused such interest among fitness experts and enthusiasts. The British Journal of Sports Science recently published a scientific case study that found that participants who drank coffee prior to running on a treadmill for 1,500 meter finished the run more quickly than subjects who were not given coffee. The average speed variant was 4.2 seconds faster completion times for participants who had one serving of coffee before running. In a close race or hotly contested competition of any type, 4.2 seconds is a lifetime, and the access to increased speed can be a highly effective weapon in your zeal to win!
Coffee and Clarity
Scientific studies have suggested a causal link between coffee consumption and increase in mental clarity and focus. This means you become more productive and receive a higher rate of return on effective training sessions. Former marathon runner and current yoga fitness instructor and owner of Raleigh Yoga Company, Laura Frey, shared her own anecdotal experience with using coffee to enhance training:
Caffeine was my secret weapon during marathoning. It started out of habit because I would wake up typically before 5:00 a.m. to get ready for a run. The caffeine got me out the door in a timely manner. On the run, my focus, intensity and control [were] unleashed with laser precision. I had no deviation in my mind or thoughts. Routinely, my goals were attained every single day.
Coffee as a Fat-burner and Appetite Suppressant
Caffeine can be an effective asset in weight loss in three major ways: it speeds up the metabolic rate; it is a natural appetite suppressant; and, caffeine motivates the muscles to burn fat. Glycogen is the body’s stored version of glucose and we are dependent on it for energy and muscle function. Without glycogen, the muscles weaken and become increasingly less efficient until exhaustion occurs. Caffeine aids the muscles by providing an extra source of energy, allowing the muscles to do more work, in less time. The result is an increased endurance level and the ability to train longer while experiencing less pain.
Caffeine and Pain Control
Caffeine has a long history of being utilized as a pain reliever. It is often used in conjunction with other over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription pain drugs. The method of pain relief action caffeine supplies is nociception; caffeine provides pain relief at the injury site, acting on the effected muscle tissue, reducing painful inflammation and repairing damaged tissue. Caffeine works on the central nervous system (CNS) by inhibiting the brain’s processing of pain signals.
Less Pain Equals More Endurance and Speed Gains
The ability of caffeine to inhibit the brain from processing pain signals sent through the CNS is a scientific principle that has been heavily researched and is well documented. A recent study conducted at the University of Illinois concluded that participants who drank coffee before commencing exercise felt significantly less muscle pain throughout the workout session than did the study participants who were not given caffeine. These findings support the contention that consuming caffeine prior to your workout facilitates a more brisk training session with improved speed and endurance levels.
Coffee is a Good source of Antioxidants
Coffee offers additional health benefits; it is rich in antioxidant nutrients, compounds that are vital in the prevention and treatment of cancers and environmental diseases. A 2011 scientific study featured in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, reported findings that coffee is a preventative for common diseases including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and some types of cancer.
What About Tolerance?
Caffeine can be addictive, and it has traditionally been believed that regular caffeine consumers build up a tolerance, which would interfere with or negate the positive effects of coffee consumed prior to exercise, over time. A recent investigative study carried out by researchers in Brazil demonstrated that regular caffeine drinkers, even those who consumed three or more cups of coffee on a daily basis, demonstrated increased speed and longevity in comparison to study subjects who did not take caffeine. These findings suggest the positive effects caffeine has on exercise ability and endurance do not subside once the body reaches a high tolerance for the drug.
The Downside to Coffee and Caffeine
So far, the positives associated with coffee and caffeine consumption have been discussed in detail. Like everything else, coffee and the caffeine it contains have negatives that also must be considered. There is concern among some experts in the medical community that prolonged exposure to caffeine can substantially damage the neuroendocrine immune system. This is the body system encompassing the central nervous system (CNS), hormonal systems and the immune system: all three systems are inextricably linked. A good example of this is the body’s decline in immune health and the propensity to fall sick when a person is emotionally stressed. Caffeine is associated with an increase in headaches, high blood pressure and susceptibility to stomach ulcers.
Take Away
To get the highest possible benefits from coffee and caffeine on your workout, consume a cup approximately an hour before you begin exercising. Listen to your body and mind to ascertain if you react positively to the extra jolt of caffeine. Remember to maintain balance; all things should be consumed in moderation.
References
Frey, Laura (5 November, 2018). Email to author.
Park, A. (5 July, 2017). Can Coffee Make Your Workout Easier?
Parker, C. (2018). 5 Ways Coffee Intensifies Your Workouts.
Walsh, B. (n.d.). Coffee and Hormones: Here’s How Coffee Really Affects Your Health.
World of Caffeine. (2018). Controlling Pain with Caffeine.
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