Coffee has gained a bad reputation for being unhealthy and a dehydrating agent. But still, most people kick-start their day with a cup of coffee. Sometimes you need an extra energy boost before a workout, and you find one of the most popular pre-workout drinks is coffee. So, if you work out in the morning, then surely you would have wondered whether it is suitable for your health or not.
Can You Take Coffee Before a Workout?
Rejoice, coffee lovers! A recent study revealed that drinking coffee before your workout can increase your performance, make it more enjoyable, and may also help weight loss.
The International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism recently published a study showing that athletes who drank a cup of hot coffee before their daily exercise session could burn 15 percent more calories for three hours post-exercise as compared to those who could not enjoy that streaming coffee.
There’s a lot of research on the side effects that can come along with too much caffeine. To play it safe, stick to 3 to 6 milligrams for every kilogram of your body mass. For most people, that means about 2 to 4 cups of coffee.
Benefits Of Drinking Coffee Before A Workout
Though coffee contains various bioactive compounds, the drink’s pre-workout benefits are primarily thanks to its caffeine content. It’s one of the most well-studied ergogenic — meaning performance-enhancing — aids available and legal on the market and within sports.
Here is how drinking coffee before a workout works on your body.
Enhance Your Speed
Scientists found through several studies that caffeine significantly improves speed in workouts that last 45 seconds to 8 minutes. You don’t have to be an Olympian to reap the benefits. If you’re looking to beat your record, caffeine just might help.
Recent studies have suggested caffeine’s performance-enhancing effect during power-based sports, resistance exercises, and endurance sports. Caffeine supplements also significantly impact speed for resistance exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, or squats.
Strength Booster
A 2018 review suggested that consuming caffeine can support your max muscle strength and upper body and muscle power. According to researchers, caffeine improved athletes’ vertical jump height and boosted powerlifters’ performance. So, You might want to sip some espresso before lifting weights or shooting some hoops.
Less Anaerobic Exhaustion
In the study, researchers found significant improvements in participants who took a specific cycling test with caffeine compared to peeps who had a placebo. Caffeine, the primary extract of coffee, intake before working out, can keep you from reaching exhaustion longer during anaerobic activities like swimming, biceps curl, and gym.
So whether you’re tackling your jump challenge or swimming laps, some coffee may help you last a little longer.
Reduces Muscle Pain
A study from 2013 found that having caffeine before a workout may reduce muscle pain and stiffness. In addition, those who had caffeine before their training also completed more reps of bicep curls per set.
When To Drink Coffee Before A Workout
Whether you like it iced, hot or mixed with milk, research shows you should have coffee about 60 mins before exercise to get all the best benefits.
The best time for you will depend on what time of day you like to hit the gym.
If you’re an early bird, sipping a cup of coffee about an hour before you work out in the morning is a great way to start your day.
It’s probably best to skip the caffeine if you love to work out in the evening. Drinking coffee 6 hours or less before bed can disrupt your sleep. The workout boost probably isn’t worth sabotaging your precious sleep. Getting enough rest is essential for your overall health and building those muscles you worked so hard on.
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