Caffeine, which is the main active ingredient in coffee, is a naturally occurring stimulant. A little coffee can boost your performance and lead to higher sports achievements. That said, caffeine isn’t the silver bullet we might think it is. There are advantages and disadvantages to it.
The bad news is that there isn’t much solid research on the relationship between caffeine and sports just yet. However, there are well-known advantages and disadvantages to coffee, which we can relate to sports.
Read on to find out more about these.
Advantages of Coffee for Sports
Coffee has a lot of well-known advantages, many of which can prove advantageous for athletes. A cup of Hazelnut coffee maca or Chocolate Raspberry Espresso can increase alertness, fight fatigue, boost energy, and much more to help you achieve better results.
It Reduces Muscle Pain
Intense training can cause severe muscle aches. Coffee can reduce and eliminate these aches altogether, thanks to its ability to stimulate the production of B-endorphins in the body. This can help with faster recovery in athletes.
Better Athletic Performance
Most athletes report that coffee helps them stay longer in training and achieve better results. Caffeine is a stimulant of the central nervous system, meaning it can stimulate brain activity and increase heart rate. This causes it to have a positive effect on intense exercise, especially in the short term.
Note that this doesn’t mean you’ll be able to train twice as hard, simply because you took a mug of Americana before your session. Improvement is in the region of 12%. Also, you get the greatest boost when you don’t consume coffee regularly.
It Burns Body Fat
Caffeine is known to accelerate metabolism, causing the body to burn up to 30% more fat during exercise. This aids weight loss efforts and gives great fitness results.
Disadvantages of Coffee for Sports
While coffee has so many benefits, it should only be consumed in moderation. As Aristotle famously said, “Everything, in moderation.”
There are, however, some side effects that you should know about before you take the dive and chug coffee every time you’re about to exercise. Different people react differently to a caffeine-infused training session, for starters.
You should always monitor your health when using coffee to boost your athletic performance and consult your doctor to find out what’s best for you.
It Hinders the Development of Cortisol
While coffee is known to boost performance in the short term, it is not recommended as a stimulant if your training sessions are scheduled in the morning.
The human body releases cortisol as soon as it wakes up. You can think of cortisol as a sort of alarm hormone for the body, helping all of you wake up and tackle the day ahead.
If you start your day by performing intense exercises or running, it is not advised to take coffee or any caffeine-induced drink in the morning. Your body will react to this by lowering its cortisol production in a bid to avoid overstimulating your central nervous system.
The problem is that the body gets used to this and eventually produces very little cortisol in the morning. You then won’t be able to wake up as quickly or start your day without your daily dose of coffee.
It Can Cause Stress
Stress and anxiety are well-known potential side effects of excess coffee consumption. High-stress levels can cause dizziness during periods of intense training, which can then negatively affect your sports performance. Taking too much coffee can also make you irritable.
It Can Cause Heart Problems
Caffeine increases your blood pressure and heart rate. While this can be a boon to your athletic performance, it can also be dangerous for you if you train a lot and have pre-existing heart problems.
Too much caffeine may then lead to heart problems, instead of better athletic performance. It’s important to consult your doctor about possible preexisting conditions before you begin using coffee to boost your athletic performance.
It Makes You Prone to Caffeine Outbreaks
While coffee can provide a significant amount of stimulation to your central nervous system, that boost doesn’t last forever. After about 2-3 hours, the effect wears off and you will experience a complete loss of enthusiasm and energy.
This is known as a caffeine outbreak and typically lasts about an hour. It is recommended to take a nap as soon as you complete your caffeine-infused training session to sleep off the effects of the caffeine outbreak.
It May Cause Stomach Upset
Coffee stimulates all muscles indiscriminately, including stomach muscles. Unfortunately, this may cause a stomach upset, which can decrease your athletic performance. Coffee can also cause dehydration, so be sure to bring water along to replenish your water levels.
It Can Disrupt Your Sleep Patterns
One of the most famous effects of coffee is sleep disruption. Most people consume coffee when they want to stay active for a long period and fight fatigue.
Unfortunately, this may make it hard for you to sleep, affecting your sleep patterns. It is not recommended to take coffee before working out late at night.
***
Coffee can be a powerful stimulant, so long as it is consumed in moderation. So long as you don’t overdo it, and pay attention to how your body reacts to it, it can take your athletic performance to new heights.
Justin is a blogger and essay writer from Leicester, England, UK. When not teaching his little students and rooting for Leicester FC, he loves to share his thoughts and opinions about education, writing for the best essay writing service.
