Dec
12
Photo Credit:Coffee Beans by Flickr User John Pavelka, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
One so-called vice that may be par for the course for a typical predawn runner is a reliance on coffee to offset the effects of the early-morning start. I’m not talking about using coffee before the morning run, as generally I believe in getting out the door as quickly as possible to maximize workout time while minimizing how early one has to get up. I’m referring more to the (perhaps liberal) application of caffeine through the day for it’s energy-boosting properties.
There are believed to be some risks involved in the heavy use of coffee or other caffeinated substances. These risks hit home for me during a food poisoning bout in September, when I found myself dehydrated to the point of passing out in the shower one morning. “Common wisdom” holds that caffeine, as a diuretic, has a tendency to dehydrate the consumer, significantly outweighing the benefit of the hydration from the caffeinated beverage itself.
With that in mind, I thought I’d research a bit more on the effects of coffee on hydration levels and on running. Consider this a summary of the numerous other summaries found regarding the impact of caffeine on general and running physiology.
First, the idea that caffeine supplants better forms of hydration and leaves you underhydrated seems to have been debunked. Studies have shown that the diuretic effect of coffee results in no more urine formation over a 24-hour period than drinking water does. Thus, coffee may be, in fact, an acceptable form of hydration, and while clearly you may have other issues if you consume all of your fluids in this manner, the dehydration issue should not be a worry.
Second, coffee seems to have benefits as a recovery fluid (that is of particular interest for this predawn runner, who does treat coffee in this way – unless I’m on a post-dusk run at which time the recovery fluid of choice is an India Pale Ale). In at least one study, muscles were shown to uptake approximately 66% more glycogen when athletes took the equivalent of five or six cups of coffee. Umm, hopefully it has some effect in smaller doses. Another study implied that caffeine may reduce delayed onset muscle soreness. The exact mechanisms of both of these effects do not yet seem well understood.
Getting more specifically to the point of how coffee impacts running performance, one study, at least, has concluded that an appropriate amount of caffeine, for those who are used to it (but not desensitized to it by overuse) does seem to boost endurance and focus – both key elements to a successful race or workout. This effect is more pronounced for longer races than for sprints, and may have both nervous system elements (improved concentration, better coordination) and energy-use elements (more effective burning of fat and preservation of glycogen stores). Note that even for the caffeine-acclimated, there is probably a positive net effect of consuming caffeine before the race, in avoiding the potential withdrawal issues that would arise from not having your cup of coffee.
Like all good things, there are limitations, of course. Coffee is notorious for causing some digestive upset, especially if you are not used to it (so plan accordingly). And coffee provides diminishing returns (i.e., the more you drink, the smaller the effect the next cup has) and can lead to more significant issues like sleep disruptions or anxiety.
In general, it would seem that caffeine most likely has a neutral to slightly positive effect for runners. In particular, if a bit of caffeine is necessary to enable your predawn running habit, then on balance it is a significant positive. To gain the most benefit while introducing the least risk, however, it would be wise to moderate your intake to the amount truly needed to get through the day, and to focus on other forms of hydration as well (and such advice applies even if you don’t drink coffee).
Predawn Runner Official Recovery Drink Mug on Zazzle
So, feel free to drink your coffee, but like so many things, do so in moderation. And please feel free to enjoy it in an Predawn Runner Official Recovery Drink mug! I’d be interested in hearing your own experiences or experimentation with caffeine in the comments. In fact, I’d certainly invite anyone who gets up early to run or workout yet gets by on little to no caffeine to share his or her advice in a guest post, or in the comments.
