Advantages of Coffee Before a Workout
Coffee has long been touted for its energizing effects, which makes it an appealing beverage to drink before hitting the gym or engaging in other physical activity. Many people find that coffee gives them a mental boost that helps them focus and stay motivated throughout their workouts. Coffee may even improve performance, as journaling a cup of joe before a workout has been linked to better endurance and muscle growth.
Studies have found that caffeine can enhance performance in both endurance exercises and low to moderate intensity exercises. In a study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, researchers from the University of São Paulo found that consuming coffee an hour before a cycling workout improved subjects’ performance significantly.
In addition to enhanced physical performance, drinking coffee before your workout can help provide more immediate mental benefits, too. Studies suggest that caffeine can help to increase alertness and focus, potentially leading to a more successful workout.
Potential Side Effects of Coffee Pre-Workout
While coffee can have beneficial effects, drinking it before exercising could lead to a few unwanted side effects. Too much caffeine can cause jitteriness, nausea, and other unpleasant symptoms. It is also important to consider that too much caffeine can interfere with sleep, which could impair performance during the next workout.
Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it increases the need to urinate, which can be a distraction during a workout. Additionally, drinking coffee can cause dehydration, which could lead to the slowing of the metabolism, affecting performance and hydration levels.
Factoring in Sleep When Consuming Coffee
It is important to consider how much caffeine you are already consuming throughout the day when deciding whether to drink coffee before a workout. If your workouts are early in the day, usually before noon, and you haven’t had a lot of caffeine already, a cup of coffee won’t likely cause any negative effects.
On the other hand, if your workouts are later in the day and you are already drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages throughout the day, it is probably best to avoid coffee before your workout to prevent any adverse effects on sleep quality.
Coffee Alternatives Pre-Workout
If coffee isn’t the ideal choice for pre-workout energy, there are a few alternatives to try. Natural energizers such as green tea or yerba mate are options that are low in caffeine but still can provide some energy boost while delivering other beneficial nutrients such as antioxidants and minerals.
One of the most popular natural pre-workout energizers is matcha, a powdered green tea that is high in antioxidants and provides a sustained release of caffeine. Matcha is also known to help improve exercise performance and enhance focus. Other natural energizers include guarana, kombucha, and herbal teas.
Is Coffee Before a Workout Right for You?
Whether or not coffee is right for you before a workout depends on your goals, timing, and tolerance. If you find that coffee gives you the energy and focus you need without any adverse effects, then it could be an ideal pre-workout beverage.
However, if you are sensitive to caffeine, already drinking multiple caffeinated beverages during the day, or find yourself staying up late due to excessive caffeine intake, then it may be wise to avoid coffee before your workout.
Considerations for Women
Women may need to take extra precaution in consuming caffeine prior to exercise as it has been linked to disrupted menstrual cycles. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who consume more than 500 milligrams of caffeine per day—about 5 cups of coffee—had a higher incidence of irregular and missed menstrual periods.
Given the potential consequences, it is important for women to consider their daily caffeine consumption and the timing of their workouts when deciding whether or not to consume coffee pre-workout.
Medications and Caffeine
Since caffeine can interact with certain medications, it is important to ask your doctor if it is safe to drink coffee before exercising if you are taking medications. Caffeine could interfere with the effectiveness of some prescription medications, including those used to treat anxiety and depression, so it is important to make sure it won’t be a problem before having a cup of joe before hitting the gym.
Picking the Right Coffee for Pre-Workout
If you do decide to drink coffee pre-workout, it is important to pick the right type. Drinking a cup of hot espresso will not provide the same sustained energy as the slow-release caffeine found in cold-brew coffee. Cold-brew coffee has been found to have significantly higher caffeine concentrations and lower acidity, allowing for a gradual increase in energy rather than an abrupt jolt.
