I’m starting to exercise and love it – who’s with me?
From weight training to running outdoors, you can’t beat the endorphin hit that follows a great workout session.
Without paying much attention, my morning routine was always: wake up, A cup of black coffee, Then going to the gym or out for a jog – the noise it gives me takes me from a groggy mess and cloudy eyes to energetic and ready to work.
As my fitness journey progressed, I often looked at it Workout before Alternatives, but he continued to wonder: Is coffee actually a valid pre-workout option?
Could you use coffee in place of a pre-workout? Is coffee a healthy option?
Well, I did my research. In this article, you’ll discover why and how coffee can help you secure those gains.
What is a pre-workout?
The first thing that we need to address here is:
What is actually a pre-workout? What is it made of?
A pre-workout is a nutritional supplement that you can take to help improve your performance in the gym, running, or before any exercise you enjoy.
The idea is that it gives you a boost of energy to get you started, and helps you perform at your best every time.
Pre-workout, like most supplements, comes in powder or capsule form. It’s usually best to take it about an hour before a workout to get all the benefits. But what is the magic ingredient that is supposed to give you all that energy and performance power?
The truth is, there is no one.
However, there is a basic list of ingredients that are often found in pre-workouts, although the amount of each varies. These compounds are: caffeine, CreatineAmino acids and B vitamins.
Oh – and if the product is a powder, you will likely find it contains artificial sweeteners so it doesn’t taste bad.
Why coffee works as a pre-workout supplement
The most beneficial ingredient in coffee to use before a workout is caffeine. Let’s delve a little deeper.
How much caffeine is in coffee?
A typical cup of filter coffee contains, on average, 120 mg of caffeine. Instant coffee pulls that number back down to around 75mg while the espresso shot is only around 63mg (but that’s with much less water!).
What does caffeine do to the body?
Caffeine works at the cellular level, which cuts off it An enzyme called phosphodiesterase, Which usually breaks down cAMP (adenosine monophosphate cyclic monophosphate).
This means you will have more cAMP in your cells, which leads to increased activity in the heart muscle cells, more activity in cognitive processing of the brain, increased breakdown of muscle glycogen (providing more energy to your muscles), and it also boosts enzymes that break down fats. Histology.
How does this relate to my exercise?
As you know, caffeine makes your heart beat faster. This allows oxygen to travel throughout the body faster to metabolize energy wherever it is needed. You also think clearer, sharper, and react faster.
You feel like you are supernatural.
Your muscles can use the stored energy from food (glycogen works harder. Your body breaks down more fat tissue for energy during exercise, which is great for athletic performance and weight loss. “
For all intentions and purposes, you are Be Kinda temporarily superhuman.
Are there other health benefits of coffee?
Short answer: Yes, loads.
Dieterpine
Cafestol and Kahweol are the two diterpenes found in coffee – and the first has been proven It reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetesBy increasing cells sensitivity to insulin and improving cells’ uptake of glucose. This lowers blood glucose and, accordingly, the chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
It is interesting that a file Epidemiological study It has also been suggested that Cafestol and Kahweol prevent cancer.
The studies that they studied showed that these diterpenes help produce enzymes that support the body in producing protective antioxidants. Not only do they protect cells, but they also play a role in repairing damaged DNA and killing irreparable damaged cells.
This is very important because DNA damage is the first step towards the development of cancer in the body.
Melanoid
Melanoid are large, dark brown particles found in coffee and have been linked to tons of them Positive health benefits.
Similar to diterpenes, they help contribute to cell antioxidant protection. They work in your gut to help maintain the balance of good bacteria and help prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Laboratory studies have shown that melanoidins inhibit the growth of cancer cells. If all of this isn’t really enough, it also helps adjust your body’s detoxification system to remove harmful substances.
Trigoniline
Satisfied yet? This is another one for you.
Trigonelline is found in many different plants, vegetables, and grains (like fenugreek, peas, and oats) but most importantly, it’s found in coffee – of course.
It was shown on Protect from disease Like type 2 diabetes and obesity-related diseases, by lowering blood sugar and triglycerides in the blood. As with diterpenes and melanoidins, it also exhibits a lot of antioxidant properties.
How do antioxidants help with exercise?
These components may not directly affect exercise capacity.
However:
We are playing the long game with these benefits.
In order for your muscles to grow, when exercising, they must suffer a lot of microscopic impact and damage so that they can heal stronger than before. Your body is working hard to repair your muscles after a workout and it needs a lot of supplies to do so.
This is where antioxidants help.
It prevents the negative effects of cell damage and removes toxic by-products from your system. Combined with a healthy, balanced diet, a cup of coffee can give you that much-needed antioxidant boost to help you recover faster and get back to the gym again.
Can you drink a lot of coffee?
Caffeine causes a temporary spike in blood pressure, which was previously thought to be negatively linked to cardiovascular disease. However, this effect appears to be his Little effect on cardiovascular health.
Caffeine is a mild stimulant, so if you suffer from insomnia, coffee definitely won’t help.
Caffeine usually takes five hours to throw off your system, but for some people, it can take up to nine hours – so it might be easier to drink coffee with milk if you find it difficult to fall asleep or stop after 2 PM at least.
It’s also important to note that most pre-workout mixes contain higher levels of caffeine than a regular cup of Go as well, so keep that in mind if you are trying alternatives.
Another problem with caffeine is anxiety. The stimulant, jittery effects of caffeine can worsen anxiety-related symptoms and, in rare cases, can trigger panic attacks. If you are experiencing these symptoms, pre-exercise may not be ideal for you.
Finally, let’s discuss digestive disorders. Coffee is diuretic but also has an activity on your guts. If you neglect to drink enough water with your coffee, you may become dehydrated, which can lead to constipation. Not ideal for general health and definitely not beneficial for performing exercises.
The important point is that diuretics do not cause diarrhea, they cause excessive urination, which can lead to dehydration. So I recommend saying either “coffee is a diuretic, so it can make you need to spend a week working out” or “Coffee has activity on your guts, so yes, it can lead to running” and leave the diuretic part.
Not ideal for general health and definitely not helpful when you are in the middle of your PB bench.
What is the best amount of coffee before exercise?
Therefore, we discussed all the potential benefits and risks of serving a cup of coffee before a workout. The next point to cover is how much coffee will give you the optimum caffeine boost without risking stress.
Like this study He suggests, 300-400 mg of caffeine per day is the safe upper limit. That’s just over three cups of filter coffee (at a rate of 120 mg per cup), or just over five cups of instant coffee (75 mg per cup) or 6 cups of espresso (63 mg caffeine).
This is your total consumption for the day – but remember that people metabolize caffeine differently, so higher levels can be safer in different people. The type of coffee and its drink can also affect these values.
In general, you can follow this rule of pre-workout drinking coffee: 3-6 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. Therefore, for someone who weighs 68 kg (150 lbs), 200-400 mg is ideal.
It usually takes about half an hour for the caffeine in coffee to be fully absorbed into your system, however Box It takes up to 90 minutes. For best results, drink a cup about an hour before you plan to start your workout.
How should I have my coffee?
The answer here is down to personal preference. How do you like your brewed coffee?
Whether it’s freshly ground and made into espresso or instant and instant, just keep an eye on how much caffeine you drink and you are good to go.
As for adding toppings, black is generally considered to be the best. Pure, pure coffee contains all the benefits you need for an active workout. If black coffee isn’t for you, adding a little milk won’t have much of a negative effect – just don’t turn it into a large, creamy latte.
And that’s all you need to know about using coffee as a pre-workout supplement. Experiment with what works for you and your body – then go ahead and use it to put the effort into your workouts. enjoy the trip.