Drinking Coffee Before Running Has Its Perks—But You Should Also Take Some Precautions

Lace up your slippers. Shake your muscles. And below a cup of coffee. For some runners, coffee before a run is a non-negotiable part of the routine, a ritual so ingrained in the norm that a exercise it just wouldn’t feel right without it.

If that’s you, good news: drinking coffee before a race can offer very real performance benefits, including decreased fatigue and reduced perceived exertion, among other advantages. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all. Depending on the amount of coffee you drink and your individual sensitivity to caffeineDrinking a triple espresso before heading out on the mountain can do more harm than good.

amity luiMS, RD, a New York City-based sports dietitian who works with runners, says clients often ask about drinking coffee before a run, asking questions like, “Should I drink coffee? How much coffee? should I drink? How much is too much? When should I drink it?

Here, she helps answer those questions and gives you everything you need to know about coffee before your run, including the pros, cons, and expert tips for incorporating it into your routine.

The benefits of coffee before running

Most of the benefits of coffee before your run are specific to caffeinated coffee. “Caffeine is a legal ergogenic aid,” explains Lui. That means you can improve your performanceaccording to studies.

A revision published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism noted that specifically for endurance running, caffeine can decrease perceived exertion, fatigueY pain while increasing alertness and vigilance.

According to a paper 2021 published by the International Society of Sports Nutrition. That said, “small to moderate benefits of caffeine use” are seen in in a hurry, muscle hardeningand muscular strength, among many other sports activities, according to the article.

Another effect of coffee: it can make you poop. Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee can trigger a reflex that leads to bowel movementsLouis explains. This can be a pro or con of coffee, depending on the context, she says. For example, if she’s trying to empty her bowels before leaving the house (and the comfort of a nearby bathroom), then coffee can help. But if you grab a coffee and start running before you get to number two, well, things could turn against you quickly.

Another benefit of coffee is that it contains antioxidantswhich are useful for anyone, but especially athletes, as the antioxidants work to reduce the inflammatory answer exercise, says Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, a registered dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition with Top Nutrition Training.

The drawbacks of coffee before running

When it comes to coffee before your run, more isn’t always better. Depending on your tolerance for caffeine, having too much can increase your risk of anxiety Y heart rate abnormalities while diminishing their ability to perform fine motor movements, Lui says. He may start to sweat, have sweaty hands and feel nervous, he adds.

Also, as mentioned, coffee can trigger a bathroom break, which can be inconvenient in certain circumstances.

Also, ingesting a lot of caffeine late in the day can alter your sleep. That’s because the average half-life of caffeine is about five hours, Lui says, which means it takes about five hours for half the amount of caffeine you ingested to dissipate from your system. Let’s say, for example, that you drink a cup of coffee with 200 milligrams of caffeine at 3 pm before your afternoon run. At 8 pm, there will still be 100 milligrams of caffeine left in your body. Depending on your sensitivity to caffeine, you may find it difficult to fall or fall asleep that nightLouis says.

How to determine how much coffee to drink before a race and when to drink it

Wonder What much coffee Should you go down before a race? There’s no set amount for everyone, because a person’s tolerance to caffeine depends on a number of things, including genetics, how long you’ve been consuming caffeine, and how much you normally eat on a daily basis.

That said, the general recommendation for performance is three to six milligrams of caffeine per kilogram (kg) of body weight, say Lui and Gargano. So for an athlete who weighs 150 pounds (68 kg), that would be 200 to 400 milligrams, the equivalent of two to five Cups of coffee.

If you’re sensitive to caffeine, then you’ll probably want to err on the lower end of that spectrum, says Gargano. But “if you’re already taking a decent amount of caffeine every day, then you’ll probably need a higher dose to be effective,” he adds.

Keep in mind: “There is excess caffeine,” says Lui. You may want to stick to 400 mg or less, depending on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)which warns that excessive caffeine consumption can lead to problems including stomachache, insomnia, anxiety and rapid heart rate, among other worrisome side effects. Also, when people quickly take a large volume of caffeine (think: around 1,200 milligrams), it can cause toxic effects, including seizures, according to the FDA.

Determining the ideal amount of coffee brewed for you is basically a matter of “trial and error,” says Lui.

If you find that you’re ultra-sensitive to caffeine in a negative way, then Gargano doesn’t recommend making coffee a part of your diet. runtimebecause the cons probably outweigh any potential benefits.

But, if you seem to tolerate caffeine well, then the general recommendation is to take it 30 to 60 minutes before you go for a run, says Gargano. You’ll notice the effects of caffeine as early as 15 minutes after consuming it, but its full influence peaks about an hour later, says Lui, who suggests timing your coffee intake before your run so you get “that little boost when you need it”. the majority.”

In a pre-race situation, if you’re someone who adds a healthy dose of real sugar to your coffee, then you may want to consume it closer to your run, within 30 minutes or so, says Gargano. That is because “sugar it’s going to hit the system pretty quickly, and to take advantage of high blood sugar levels, which is beneficial for when you exercise, you’ll want to be a little bit closer” to the start of your workout, he explains.

Keep in mind that if you’re running for a long time, like more than two hours, that could mean taking caffeine in during your careerGargano says. In that case, he would probably opt for a caffeinated coffee. chew or gel.

The bottom line on drinking coffee before running

Drinking coffee before a race can provide legitimate benefits, including increased alertness and reduced fatigue, soreness, and perceived exertion, but it’s not beneficial for everyone. It takes some practice to figure out how much coffee (if any) is a valuable part of your pre-race ritualand then also to determine the best dosage and timing for you.

No matter how or when you drink your coffee, both experts recommend pairing it with some kind of food to make sure you have the energy you need to perform well in your workout. “Coffee itself does not provide energy because it is not a calorie based foods”Lui explains.

Gargano recommends having an easy to digest carbohydrate snack within 30 to 45 minutes of starting a run. Okay pre-run snack optionsaccording to Lui, include a slice of toast with banana and honey, a banana with peanut butteror applesauce for those who have trouble tolerating solid foods before exercise.