Is coffee good for sports?
Many of us can’t get enough of our coffee. Most need it to boost their productivity. While it is best known for increasing our concentration, coffee is also known to improve our physical performance. This is due to its stimulating effect. Our colleagues from the Science Alert site turned to experts to find out if coffee really helped boost athletic performance.
According to Dr. Neil Clarke, a researcher at Coventry University in the UK, athletes have a vested interest in taking caffeine.
« It is one of the most researched substances that help athletes achieve better performance and train longer and harder, » he explains.
According to him, caffeine is very popular with amateur and professional athletes.
Several studies have shown that this substance improves the performance of runners, cyclists, footballers, basketball players and tennis players.
Coffee or caffeine pills?
Most of these studies focus on the effects of caffeine pills rather than those of coffee. According to scientists, it is difficult to measure the effects of coffee consumption on athletic performance because the level of caffeine varies from cup to cup. However, there are still studies that only focus on the effects of coffee.
As Dr Clarke reveals, “A growing number of studies have shown that coffee can serve as an alternative to caffeine to improve running or cycling performance, and produce results similar to pure caffeine. « According to his statements, coffee may even be more effective in improving the endurance of an athlete than caffeine.
Read also : The good side of coffee
To consume with moderation
We all know that good things should not be abused. And this also applies to coffee. Excessive consumption can have unwanted health effects. However, as Dr. Neil Schwartz of the University of Alabama points out, “The impacts of coffee or caffeine vary from one individual to another. «
« If it is well tolerated, coffee helps improve physical and mental performance », he declares.
However, coffee can also cause anxiety and insomnia in some individuals. And it can have a negative impact on your athletic performance.
Like all things, coffee should therefore be consumed in moderation.
