Coffee, the world’s favorite drug-infused drink, just got slightly more wonderful – if you are an athlete, that is. Share on Pinterest New research shows that drinking a coffee before a run might help you keep going for longer. Investigators at the University of Georgia recently published a review study that takes a fresh look at coffee’s effects on sporting prowess. The work, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, delved into the existing data from previous investigations into coffee, caffeine and sports. Simon Higgins, lead author, poured over 600 studies in his search for experiments that measured the interaction between caffeinated coffee and performance during exercise. A wealth of studies looked at the impact of caffeine in tablet form, but much fewer examined the effects of caffeine ingested through coffee. Only nine randomized control trials were found that specifically investigated coffee and endurance.

Caffeine and endurance Caffeine is probably the most used stimulant and psychoactive drug on the planet. Each day, Americans consume an average of 27.3 oz of coffee; an estimated 10% of Americans consume more than 1,000 mg of caffeine on a daily basis. Caffeine is absorbed relatively quickly once it reaches the stomach and hits peak levels in the blood 1-2 hours after ingestion. The stimulant is absorbed into most types of body tissue and has an effect on a wide array of systems. In the 1970s, scientists believed that caffeine influenced the way energy was made available to the body and thus enhanced performance. In the 80s, opinion switched. The scientific consensus was that caffeine did not, in fact, improve physical endurance. In the 90s, the tables were turned again with new studies coming to the fore. Investigations showed that 3-9 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight (roughly 2-5 cups of percolated coffee), 1 hour before exercise, increased endurance in a laboratory setting.