Looking to hit the workout hard and snag that extra metabolism boost but you just can't get through the pain? New research shows that a trip to your local coffee shop could be just what you need.
Whether or not you are a regular consumer, drinking a cup of joe before a workout is believed to actually reduce pain. How does this work?
A professor from the
University of Illinois hypothesized the pain-killing ability of caffeine,
explaining how it works to block the adenosine, or a biochemical that is important for energy transfer, since it normally affects the brain and spinal cord responsible for pain processing. Essentially, he believed that caffeine could reduce pain due to the area of the brain it affected (adenosine neuromodulatory system) and the adenosine role in exercise.
The professor put his speculation to the test.
Using a group of 25 athletic males, researchers divided the group into two subgroups based upon regular caffeine consumption: low / non-user and the average user. The young men were given a base-line fit test to determine oxygen consumption. Each athletic individual was put through two intense 30-minute workouts, where their oxygen consumption, heart rate, work load and quadricep pain were recorded each time.
All men were given a pill an hour prior to each workout, one containing the equivalent of the amount of caffeine found in 2-3 cups of coffee and the other, a placebo pill. According to study data, a group of non-dosed athletes was not used, although the placebo pill served as the control mechanism for this particular study as all subjects received both the caffeine pill and the placebo. Professor Robert Motl's research uncovered that:
"Caffeine-naïve individuals and habitual users have the same amount of reduction in pain during exercise after caffeine (consumption)."
studiosept
an average cup of coffee has 230 miligrams of caffeine
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Although regular, or habitual coffee drinkers may require larger amounts of the drug to receive mind stimulating benefits,
this study shows that previous use, or tolerance, doesn't appear to play into the pain benefit. Motl further explained how brain scans of both regular and non-regular users showed identical brain activity when dosed with caffeine. It brings forth enough evidence to warrant further research on caffeine's link to pain reduction and so far, that seems to be what study researchers plan on doing.
Another possible benefit of the study finding, although not yet researched, is the implication that pain reduction may have on increased performance. Many athletes today already use caffeine as a means of performance enhancement, as was
shown in an interview study of the Ironman Triathon competitors where nearly three-quarters of the athletes admitted to caffeine use as a means to improve performance and over four-fifths admitting its use for enhanced concentration. Some believe the recommended dose for athletic performance is:
1-3 mg caffeine per kg body weight (0.45-1.4 g per lb). For a 68 kg (150 pound) athlete, that equates to a range of about 70-210 mg of caffeine.
Even Motl admitted to the performance enhancing qualities of caffeine as a competitive cyclist.
The recommended numbers apply to Ironman triatheletes and not your typical M-W-F scheduled meeting with the DVD and resistance band individual. But Motl's research is encouraging for the novice looking for a health benefit from physical activity and need some encouragement in terms of helping with the pain, helping reduce the amount so they are more likely to stick to a workout plan. To put it into perspective, the caffeine content of 6 oz cup of coffee ranges from 60 mg for instant to as high as 180 mg per cup for filter drip. Sodas weighed in much less, with 12 oz servings of some ranging from 17-55 mg, although some marketed for high-caffeine content could have more than 100 mg per serving. These numbers vary, however, with strength and grinds as well.
Since a majority of medical experts agree that moderate use of caffeine is not a negative factor for a healthy individual, maybe those of us looking for an excuse to not move could now find some benefits in that doppio. And who thought those firm and fit fannies heading to the gym after a stop at Starbucks were just full of themselves? They may know more than you think.
The results are detailed in the April edition of the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
