June 10, 2011 -- Seeing the color red makes muscles move faster and with more force, a new study suggests. The finding could have important implications in sports and other activities where a quick burst of energy is needed.

“Red enhances our physical reactions because it is seen as a danger cue,” researcher Andrew Elliot, professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, says in a news release.

Researchers say most people are unaware of the intensifying effect the color red has on their physical performance.

But that quick burst of energy may come at an emotional cost. The perception of threat that the color red brings also evokes worry, distraction, and self-preoccupation, which could hamper performance, say researchers.