Exercise and Coffee

There are multiple reasons to justify or encourage the consumption of 2-4 cups of coffee in the morning each day, ongoing since coffee's rise in popularity over the last thousand years. Health and mortality benefits are likely due to the plant-based chemical properties within coffee. These benefits include an increased chance of a longer lifespan, improved heart health, fat mass, exercise performance, cognition, and mood. The commonly known short-term exercise benefits are primarily due to the effects of caffeine within coffee, but some other properties of coffee are also performance-boosting. Still, the unique plant-based nutrients within coffee make it the healthiest “pre-workout” drink you can consume. However, the lack of knowledge of these benefits and widely believed but outdated concerns might reduce people's consumption and benefits from coffee. 

Below is a summary of the known benefits of coffee.

Most of these benefits are achieved when consuming 2-4 cups of coffee daily.

Daily coffee consumption helps you live longer. 2-4 cups of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee daily have been shown to increase lifespan. Association of Coffee Drinking With Mortality by Genetic Variation in Caffeine Metabolism: Findings From the UK Biobank | Diet | JAMA Internal Medicine | JAMA Network + Decaffeinated coffee and its benefits on health: focus on systemic disorders: 2020 Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition There is some truth to “I can’t live without coffee.” The positive of coffee most likely is due to: 

• Positive benefits on heart and blood vessel health Impact of Coffee Consumption on Cardiovascular Health - PMC + The impact of coffee subtypes on incident cardiovascular disease, arrhythmias, and mortality: long-term outcomes from the UK Biobank - PubMed + Coffee and cardiac arrhythmias: Up-date review of the literature and clinical studies - PMC + Coffee and Endothelial Function: A Coffee Paradox? - PMC Coffee also reduces the risk of a stroke within the brain. Coffee Consumption and Stroke Risk: A Meta-analysis of Epidemiologic Studies - PMC Also, coffee consumption indirectly improves health by encouraging other healthy lifestyle behaviors, like being more active Exercise, Nutrition and the Brain - PMC, which negates any harm of a short-term increase in blood pressure or anxiousness International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance - PMC  Although, not commonly used in Australia now, paper-filtered coffee seems slightly healthier for the heart and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk than boiled coffee, but this might not matter for those with healthy blood lipid scores. Coffee consumption and mortality from cardiovascular diseases and total mortality: Does the brewing method matter? - PubMed + Filtered, not unfiltered, coffee in cardiovascular disease - Yoshihiro Fukumoto, 2020 + The effects of foods on LDL cholesterol levels: A systematic review of the accumulated evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials - Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases 

• Improved exercise performance. Coffee, primarily due to its caffeine component, can promise a 2-5% increase in aerobic endurance, speed, strength, and power performance measures. Coffee might also have a small benefit for recovering better between two aerobic exercise sessions within the same day Coffee Increases Post-Exercise Muscle Glycogen Recovery in Endurance Athletes: A Randomized Clinical Trial - PMC The unique plant-based nutrients within coffee compared to other caffeinated beverages make it the healthiest pre-workout you could consumeThe Metabolic and Performance Effects of Caffeine Compared to Coffee during Endurance Exercise - PMC + Effect of Coffee and Caffeine Ingestion on Resistance Exercise Performance - PubMed For performance benefits, consume at least 6-9 mg per kg of your body mass of estimated caffeine or have the final sip of 2-4 “cups” of coffee at least 45 min before exercise, and you will be good to go. Habitual caffeine intake does not change this recommendation nor the expected benefits from coffee. Doses higher than this recommendation are not likely to be more helpful for performance goals Absorption and subjective effects of caffeine from coffee, cola and capsules - PubMed + Can I Have My Coffee and Drink It? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis to Determine Whether Habitual Caffeine Consumption Affects the Ergogenic Effect of Caffeine - PubMed + Not Another Caffeine Effect on Sports Performance Study—Nothing New or More to Do? - PMC + Habitual Caffeine Consumption Does Not Interfere With the Acute Caffeine Supplementation Effects on Strength Endurance and Jumping Performance in Trained Individuals - PubMed + What Dose of Caffeine to Use: Acute Effects of 3 Doses of Caffeine on Muscle Endurance and Strength - PubMed Doses lower then this might still be fine What Dose of Caffeine to Use: Acute Effects of 3 Doses of Caffeine on Muscle Endurance and Strength - PubMed Its seem the more years of training you have completed, the more caffeinated coffee will be helpful Benefits of caffeine ingestion on sprint performance in trained and untrained swimmers - PubMed Caffeine likely helps strength and endurance through being a stimulant and reducing perceptions of fatigue, while coffee important plant based chemicals have unique ergogenic effects as well (see graph below) The influence of caffeinated and non-caffeinated multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements on resistance exercise performance and subjective outcomes - PubMed + Arousal Effect of Caffeine Depends on Adenosine A2A Receptors in the Shell of the Nucleus Accumbens - PMC + International society of sports nutrition position stand: coffee and sports performance - PMC 

International society of sports nutrition position stand: coffee and sports performance - PMC.

• Assisting weight loss efforts. The beneficial effects of coffee on weight loss are unlikely to be due to changes in metabolism. Rather, caffeine in coffee can help reduce both appetite and feelings of fatigue, which both promote overeating and making craving-based dietary choices The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - PubMed + The effect of caffeine on energy balance - PubMed + Caffeine intake is related to successful weight loss maintenance - PubMed.

  • Along with assisting weight loss, coffee might also help those with diabetes type 2 reach remission or those with diabetes type 1 reduce monthly insulin costs, due to improvement in insulin sensitivity after consumption Coffee, tea and diabetes: the role of weight loss and caffeine | International Journal of Obesity + Caffeinated and Decaffeinated Coffee Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and a Dose-Response Meta-analysis - PMC + Coffee and Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Arguments for a Causal Relationship - PMC

• Improved brain health. Drinking coffee enhances neurocognitive function by reorganizing brain functional connectivity - PubMed + Does Drinking Coffee Reduce the Incidence of Parkinson's Disease? - PMC

  • “It is postulated that coffee consumption reduces neuroinflammation, which is intimately linked to the onset of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington's disease (HD)” Coffee, antioxidants, and brain inflammation - PubMed

The broad variability of available serving sizes, bean types, roasting methods, and brewing methods cater to personal or cultural tastes. Regardless of your choice, coffee has significant health benefits, with safe daily intakes higher than most think. “Coffee consumption seems generally safe within usual levels of intake, with summary estimates indicating largest risk reduction for various health outcomes at three to four cups a day, and more likely to benefit health than harm” Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes - PMC

Warnings and potential side effects of caffeinated coffee. 

Any known side effect of coffee is always dependent on the dose, bean type, brew method, and individual sensitivity due to genetics and contributing health conditions such as uncontrolled anxiety, very low bone density, allergies to coffee/caffeine, uncontrolled heart arrhythmias, and severe high blood pressure. Coffee or caffeine is unlikely to cause these conditions, but doses above 2-4 cups could exacerbate symptoms. Caffeine intake during pregnancy and pre-adolescence is encouraged to be limited as well. Consult with your medical team if you are concerned about the negative effects of coffee on exacerbating your current medical conditions. 

Here is some more brief info on the specific contexts where caffeinated coffee might be advised to be limited:

• A minority of people have increased reactions to consuming caffeine due to genetically not metabolising caffeine very well Interindividual Differences in Caffeine Metabolism and Factors Driving Caffeine Consumption - PubMed 

• Heart disease: 

  • Generally, doses over >5000 mg or 5 grams at a time of caffeine is not encouraged due to the risk of adverse heart arrhythmias and seizure risks. Common questions and misconceptions about caffeine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence show? - PMC That's the amount of caffeine in 40 cups of coffee at once, which no one with informed health education encourages consuming Sources of Caffeine-Trends by Beverage Type and Purchase Location - PMC More then one cup of coffee a day is not recommended for those with uncontrolled very high blood pressure (>160 systolic) Coffee and Green Tea Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Among People With and Without Hypertension - PubMed However, there is some evidence that caffeinated coffee might be protective for those with known controlled minor heart conditions The impact of coffee subtypes on incident cardiovascular disease, arrhythmias, and mortality: long-term outcomes from the UK Biobank - PubMed + Coffee and cardiac arrhythmias: Up-date review of the literature and clinical studies - PMC For those without heart disease, doses within recommended amounts are metabolised quite well by the majority. Most deaths from caffeinated products have been from accidental overdosing on caffeine supplements, not from overconsuming coffee. Most studies show that up to 5 cups of coffee daily is safe. This much coffee is likely more than most people think is healthy. Also, caffeine and coffee products often have lower amounts of caffeine than advertised on their food labels anyways, which should reduce any concern of accidentally overconsuming caffeine when drinking coffee Caffeine Consumption through Coffee: Content in the Beverage, Metabolism, Health Benefits and Risks + Caffeine content of Nespresso® pod coffee - Ben Desbrow, Susan Hall, Christopher Irwin, 2019 + Caffeine content of specialty coffees - PubMed 

• Anxiety: 

  • Increased anxiousness is reported by a small minority of our population with doses less than 4 cups a day. Some likely individuals, such as children and teenagers, are genetically slower to metabolise caffeine and can report intolerable changes in mood with consumption over 2-3 cups of coffee. Coffee could be encouraged to be limited in these people, while sticking to decaffeinated coffee if wanted. It could also be recommended that adults gradually increase their intake over weeks if they want to enjoy caffeinated coffee if they have never previously consumed it. Note, the relationship between anxiety and coffee consumption could be correlative rather then causative, as the same contexts where people feel the need for a cognition boost, could also be stressful or anxiety inducing situations  "The correlation between personal stressors, anxiety and caffeine consu" by Erica B. LaRocca Sleep deprivation is also associated with anxiety and caffeine can reduce sleep quality. However, any anxiety effect of caffeine might be reduced by the mood-promoting components of coffee Chlorogenic Acid Improves PTSD-like Symptoms and Associated Mechanisms - PMC 

• Gastrointestinal upset: 

  • As most people who consume coffee with breakfast are aware, caffeine has laxative-like effects that range in intensity between different people, especially when combined with carbohydrate intake The effect of an energy drink containing glucose and caffeine on human corticospinal excitability - PubMed. Exercise and exercise-related anxiety could also speed up intestinal motility. Most people learn, hopefully based on only “close calls,” how to periodise caffeine and food intake around exercise. 

• Pregnancy. 

  • Pregnancy is the most common condition where strong evidence suggests limiting intake of caffeine to what would be found in a standard cup of coffee per day or less if concerned ACOG CommitteeOpinion: Moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy - PubMed For those trying to avoid pregnancy, be aware that oral contraceptives delay caffeine clearance, increasing its symptom effect Caffeine, oral contraceptives, and over-the-counter drugs - PubMed + Menstrual cycle effects on caffeine elimination in the human female - PubMed. 

• Coffee may reduce iron absorption from food or supplements Inhibition of food iron absorption by coffee - PubMed. Limiting coffee intake during the consumption of iron-containing meals or supplements in those with known iron deficiency might be helpful. Coffee consumption might also be worth avoiding in doses above recommended ranges if you are concerned about your bone health. If you exercise regularly and meet the recommended daily intake of calcium and vitamin D, you might not need to be concerned  Bone Health & Fall Prevention

• Sleep difficulty or disorders. 

  • Due to the rate of caffeine metabolism being slower than we thought years ago, try to limit consumption 9 to 12 hours prior to sleep onset (before 11am for most people) to ensure your best sleep quality, or do not consume at all if you are currently managing insomnia or a medical condition or medication that makes sleeping difficult Absolute bioavailability of caffeine from a tablet formulation - PubMed + The absolute bioavailability of caffeine - PubMed + Caffeine content of decaffeinated coffee - PubMed + The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis - PubMed + Coffee, caffeine, and sleep: A systematic review of epidemiological studies and randomized controlled trials - PubMed Similar to napping less than 90 min, caffeinated coffee consumption is a good one-off strategy to reduce some of the negative effects of sleep deprivation if unavoidable (travel, work commitments, having young children) International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance - PMC Although caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee is advised to not be consumed prior to sleep due to affecting sleep quality overall, some components in coffee can improve falling to sleep times, which might explain anecdotes of cultures enjoying coffee at night Effects of subacute ingestion of chlorogenic acids on sleep architecture and energy metabolism through activity of the autonomic nervous system: a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blinded cross-over trial - PubMed

• Although not unique to coffee, long-term consumption of subjectively rated hot and very hot beverages increases the risk of throat cancer High-temperature beverages and Foods and Esophageal Cancer Risk -- A Systematic Review - PMC

Common concerns that lack substantial evidence to support

 Addiction?

•  “though it appears that caffeine has the potential to be abused by some and has established withdrawal symptoms, current mechanistic evidence and SUD criteria do not fully support the classification of caffeine as addictive” Common questions and misconceptions about caffeine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? - PMC Reducing caffeine intake after habitual use can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, irritability, and fatigue, but these symptoms are safe to live through and only last 3-7 days.

• Dehydration? 

  • Any diuretic effect of caffeine is negated by 1) the quantities of water consumed with coffee and 2) by our very smart kidneys and hydration systems response to exercise Caffeine and diuresis during rest and exercise: A meta-analysis - PMC + No Evidence of Dehydration with Moderate Daily Coffee Intake: A Counterbalanced Cross-Over Study in a Free-Living Population - PMC

• Are energy drinks or “pre-workout” supplements dangerous? 

  • Energy drinks or pre-workout powders you can buy from your local supermarket, supplement store, or online mostly contain more caffeine than within a cup of coffee, but in doses that are still likely to be very safe. Unfortunately, some of these products contain other ingredients with known or unknown benefits, which have been blamed for the increased concerns about consuming these products compared to coffee International society of sports nutrition position stand: energy drinks and energy shots - PMC We suggest picking a “pre-workout” with reputable safety Risks of supplement use + The World Anti-Doping Code + Check Substances On Global DRO | Sport Integrity Australia  + Home - HASTA Energy drinks and pre-workout powders, mostly due to their caffeine components can promise up to 2-5% increase in endurance, speed, strength, power performance measure or can have no effect, just like coffee or caffeine on its own Beyond the Buzz: Do Energy Drinks Offer More Than Caffeine for Mental and Physical Tasks? - PMC. Safety of energy drinks is still excellent just like coffee, but their socially believed harms, just like for any caffeine source, is found when the product use is abused by accidental or intentional massive consumption Effects of Energy Drink Consumption on Physical Performance and Potential Danger of Inordinate Usage - PMC + The influence of caffeinated and non-caffeinated multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements on resistance exercise performance and subjective outcomes - PubMed The nutrient components of coffee might also negate any negative effect of caffeine, unlike the products also included in energy drinks Adverse Events Reported to the United States Food and Drug Administration Related to Caffeine-Containing Products - PubMed but high quality review summarises that caffeine is likely the key driver of adverse effect of coffee or energy drinks Common Questions and Misconceptions About Energy Drinks: What Does the Scientific Evidence Really Show? - PMC It is safe to stick to coffee if you are still concerned about energy drinks.

• What about tea?

  • There are enough positive benefits for a full article on tea Drink tea, stay healthy and carry on - Thinking Nutrition + Tea (Camellia sinensis) benefits, dosage, and side effects + Green Tea Extract benefits, dosage, and side effects but for now we will leave a couple of links to some health research for those interested.

    • Each cup of black or green tea per day was “associated with an average 4% lower risk of CVD mortality, a 2% lower risk of CVD events, a 4% lower risk of stroke, and a 1.5% lower risk of all-cause mortality” Dose–Response Relation between Tea Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Population-Based Studies - PMC 

    • “separate and combined coffee and tea consumption were inversely associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality.” Consumption of coffee and tea with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a prospective cohort study | BMC Medicine | Full Text

    • Effect of Coffee and Tea Consumption on Adolescent Weight Control: An Interventional Pilot Study - PubMed Tea helps with weight loss but to a lesser extent than coffee

    • “...this meta-analysis has found evidence that tea intake or consumption, specifically green tea and black tea, can help reduce the risk of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.” Tea intake or consumption and the risk of dementia: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies - PMC

That's it for now. This information should help you justify your continued or increased regular coffee or tea consumption and reduce concerns from any fear-mongering or misinformation you might have heard. Come on down to our cafe after a session at Method Health and enjoy another cup. Some say we have the best-tasting coffee in town.