On the quest for a healthy lifestyle there are sacrifices to make, dieting-demons to vanquish, and tasty-temptations that must be resisted… But will I give up my coffee? Never! And science has given me yet another reason not to. Oh joy!
- Researchers report in this month’s issue of the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism that caffeine may be a safe way to prevent muscle soreness from exercise. The participants (all male) in the study who were given 400mg of caffeine one hour before a high intensity workout, reported less muscle pain than those who weren’t. It also didn’t matter if they were habitual coffee drinkers or not, those who already drank 3-4 cups of coffee a day still reported a reduction in muscle soreness. Caffeine May Lessen Exercisers’ Muscle Pain
- This follows another study published about two years ago (all women) in which participants were given 5mg of caffeine per 1 kg of bodyweight (250mg/110lbs), at 24 and 48 hours after stressing their muscles via electrical stimulation. These participants were not athletes, and were not used to physical training. One hour after taking the caffeine, they then had to perform exercises using their sore muscles. The results showed a 48% reduction in muscle soreness. In comparison, past studies on naproxen (aleve) showed reduced post-exercise muscle soreness of only 30% and aspirin by a mere 25%. UGA study finds that caffeine cuts post-workout pain by nearly 50 percent
One of the theories behind these two studies is that caffeine may block the activity of adenosine, a chemical released by the body as part of the inflammatory response which activates pain receptors. So before or after a new, or particularly strenuous exercise routine, it can be helpful to down a shot of caffeine (take a vivarin/caffeine tab–usually 200mg, drink some tea–20-60mg, or have a nice coffee–about 100mg). You just have to use your own judgment (consult with physician:) about how much is effective for you and what you can tolerate.
If you’re not used to caffeine, don’t start with more than 100mg. A lot also depends on your size, gender, level of fitness, and tolerance to caffeine. These studies were to determine if there was an effect, not about finding the minimally effective dose. Caffeine can raise blood pressure and heart rate, so it’s not suitable for everyone. Lastly, over 400 mg may raise cortisol levels—-Hence Moderation!
Here’s something for our more athletic readers:
Supplementing carbohydrates with caffeine after high intensity/endurance exercise has been found to increase muscles’ uptake of glycogen by 66%. That’s a lot! If you’re very athletic you’d be interested in this study: Post-Exercise Caffeine Helps Muscles Refuel
More good reasons to drink coffee:
- Regular coffee consumption has been associated with lower death rates in women and lower risk of heart disease. This study followed 86,214 women and 41,736 men over the course of 24 years, and took into account numerous details about lifestyle habits, including smoking, weight, and levels of physical activity. It found that even with negative habits such as smoking, coffee consumption clearly had a positive effect on overall health. In addition, the type of coffee consumed was not the fancy kind, but regular drip coffee. http://www.sciencenews.org
- Coffee contains soluble fiber: 4 cups of drip-coffee provides about 7% of daily required intake. The particular kind of fiber in coffee encourages the growth of beneficial gut microbes, which helps prevents the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria. http://www.sciencenews.org
Last few points to keep in mind:
- Boiled coffee drinks such as Turkish coffee, Greek coffee, or French press have high levels of cafestol, which is a chemical that boosts cholesterol.
- Cafestol is removed by running coffee through a filter. Hence, old-fashioned drip coffee does not raise cholesterol levels but still maintains the antioxidants and benefits.
- Lastly, despite its wondrous powers, the coffee bean cannot possibly be expected to overcome the awesome destructiveness of heavy cream topped with whipped cream loaded with sugar and armed with chocolate sprinkles. Extra large mocha-mochas are just not healthy.
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Flash Rosenberg said “I believe humans get a lot done, not because we’re smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee.” First off, any article that tells me why I should continue to drink coffee sounds great to me. It is amazing that women who drink more coffee has lower death rates and lower risk of heart disease. I would not have thought that would be the case. You should however as the article states lay off the cream and sugar. That is not good for you period.
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