Is Coffee Before a Workout Safe?

Many people enjoy a cup of coffee for a boost of energy — which is much needed before a workout! But are there any negative affects to drinking caffeine before you exercise?

True or False: It is bad to drink coffee before a workout.

A: False. In fact, thanks to its caffeine content, a cup of coffee can actually help BOOST your workout! The relationship between caffeine and exercise performance is well studied, and research consistently shows that caffeine (even low doses) boosts endurance. Caffeine essentially allows you to push yourself harder for longer while you’re exercising, increases time to exhaustion, and decreases perceived muscle pain during exercise. More isn’t better—small doses seem to produce the same benefit as larger doses, so even your usual cup of coffee in the morning will have an effect. Drink your coffee about an hour before your workout to give the caffeine time to absorb into your bloodstream.

Nutritionists use to advise athletes to avoid coffee before workouts because we initially thought the caffeine had a strong diuretic effect that contributed to dehydration, but better designed studies have now shown that moderate doses of caffeine have only a very weak diuretic effect in people who regularly consume coffee or other caffeinated beverages. The overall volume of water you consume while enjoying your cup of coffee will more than make up for the very small amount lost in your urine. So, it’s a net-positive effect on hydration level.

Good for me!! I am coffee lover..