Can a cup of coffee motivate you to relish your trips to the gym this winter? That question is at the heart of a notable study of caffeine and exercise, one of several new experiments suggesting that, whatever your sport, caffeine may allow you to perform better and enjoy yourself more.
The article concludes with: All of which would seem to indicate that a grande Americano is the ideal sports beverage. But, Dr. Mohr cautions, many questions remain. “We don’t know the best dose” of caffeine to provide performance benefits without undesirable side effects, he says, like heightened blood pressure or the jitters. In his study, volunteers consumed the equivalent of more than five large cups of brewed coffee before their workout.
Similarly, it’s not known whether people who swill cappuccinos and green tea all day get the same benefits from dosing themselves just before a workout as people who only occasionally drink caffeine, or whether the hour before a workout is the ideal moment to imbibe. Dr. Mohr suspects “it’s likely that you get more effect” if you’re not habituated to the drug, but he and others are currently studying those and similar issues and expect results soon.
In the meantime, “probably everyone can get some” fatigue-delaying and mood-enhancing benefits from caffeine, Dr. Mohr says — meaning that your gym gear should probably include a travel mug.
Lately, I’ve been testing out Red Bull before I ride. Scroll down to the ingredients list and check out how the ingredients work . At first I would drink a full 8.4 oz can. There was definetly a “pick me up” effect. This effect was having an affect on my sleep since I drank it at around 4pm. I’ve since reduced to consuming about half a can. A much better affect on my sleep and still a ” pick me up”.
More power to you.
Marc
Posted by Marc Walter as caffeine, power at 6:00 AM MST
The results suggest that the chronic intake of caffeine, as well as chronic low-intensity exercise, decreased muscle damage and inflammatory infiltration into skeletal muscle.
It looks like there might be some drawbacks, though. The article quoted this
When researchers examined eating behavior as a function of chronic and acute caffeine use, they found that high consumers of caffeine consumed more calories, protein and fat in their typical diet, and ate more high-sugar snack foods in the laboratory, compared with low-caffeine consumers.
