Coffee good or bad? What think you?

eliwallach

I like coffee.
Not addicted but I would like to have a decent coffee every morning. But I have heard of the negative effects re dehydration when running etc.
However the more books I read the more it seems that the elite athletes have no fear of coffee. From memory, Sonia was a divil for coffee and Lance Armstrong (for a man who paid absolute anal attention to every detail) had no fear of coffee.

So what is it, coffee or no coffee?

robinph

If it wasn't already a common drink then it would have been banned for being a performance enhancing drug.

aero2k

robinph wrote: »

If it wasn't already a common drink then it would have been banned for being a performance enhancing drug.

I think it (caffeine) was on the banned list for cycling for a while, but they removed it in the last couple of years.

nerraw1111

Alot of cyclists in the Tour De France have a shot of espresso before each stage.


Some reckon it's taken before a race to lighten the load so to speak!

Coffee is a diuretic but you're still going to take on more water than what than you would lose by drinking it.

--amadeus--

AFAIK caffinne is still on the official IAAF banned substance list, but at concentrations that would equal something like 20 double espresso's in the hour or so before the test :eek:

I like the caffinee gels and drink insane amounts of coffee and I don't think it makes a huge amount of difference. Or the difference it makes is worth suffering for stayng married (no way I'd be allowed in the house while undergoing caffinne withdrawal!). It is a diuretic but as long as you keep an eye on your hydration anyway it'll be pretty neglibible. Noakes in Lore of Running even advisies to stick with your usual morning cup of coffee pre race if that's what you're used to.



(apologies for teh spelling, on a client site and using IE without a spellcheck )

baza1976

I think what you have with your coffee is probably worse than the coffee itself!! I find it difficult to a have a mug with out something tastey to eat with it.:o

Macanri

Good, good, good ... like most things, in moderation

TheLargerBowl

baza1976 wrote: »

I think what you have with your coffee is probably worse than the coffee itself!! I find it difficult to a have a mug with out something tastey to eat with it.:o

Definitely, it's the chocolate and the muffins that's the killer, not the coffee... :pac:

dna_leri

nerraw1111 wrote: »

Alot of cyclists in the Tour De France have a shot of espresso before each stage.


Some reckon it's taken before a race to lighten the load so to speak!

Coffee is a diuretic but you're still going to take on more water than what than you would lose by drinking it.

Coffee is not as powerful a diuretic as is widely believed.

From a study in The International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, June 2002:

“In the 10 studies reviewed, consumption of a caffeinated beverage resulted in 0 to 84 percent retention of the initial volume ingested, whereas consumption of water resulted in 0 to 81 percent retention.”

Another study, in the same journal in 2005, involved scientists following 59 active adults over 11 days while controlling their caffeine intake. They were given caffeine in capsule form on some days and on other days were given a placebo. Researchers found no significant differences in levels of excreted electrolytes or urine volume.

Krusty_Clown

Interestingly, "the stimulative effect of coffee consumption on the colon is found in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee". So start your day with a big mug of steaming coffee, and save yourself the pit-stops on your long run. Also, moderate coffee intake reduces the risk of dementia, so when you finish you're long run, at least you'll know where you are.

Gringo78

I read somewhere that only in quantities greater than 3 standard mugs of coffee do the diuretic properties become apparent and at that, its only if the 3 mugs are taken in quick succession so I wouldn't worry about it. I do most of my hard training sessions at 1pm and up to that point have had at least 3 cups of coffee and thats my only liquid intake in the morning time. Have never had a problem with dehydration during those training sessions. Certainly a coffee before a race is a good thing.

eliwallach

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Also, moderate coffee intake reduces the risk of dementia, so when you finish you're long run, at least you'll know where you are.

And that can only be good thing.
Coffee it is, so!

M cebee

i love my coffee

all the publicity the last few years seems to be good regarding coffee

i read a stat somewhere that it boosts training performance by about 7%

hasn't affected me training but i aint doin marathons!

shels4ever

Well i drank way too much coffee, to the point where it did cause problem in regards to hydration. Been off the stuff for a week not and feel alot better for it. First 3 days were crazy cant been good for you.
.

MadHatter

M cebee wrote: »

i love my coffee

all the publicity the last few years seems to be good regarding coffee

i read a stat somewhere that it boosts training performance by about 7%

hasn't affected me training but i aint doin marathons!

AFAIK, the performance boosting effect is only applicable to those who are not regular coffee drinkers. If you a regular drinker then your body becomes used to the caffeine and drinking coffee then has little or no performance benefit - however missing your daily dose may result in impaired performance.

plodder

I read somewhere that caffeine improves the ability to metabolise fat, which is obviously a specific benefit for marathon running.