Coffee BEFORE workout OK??

[newguy72]

Hey guys,
I just looked at the links provided in the regarding coffee thread regarding coffee and it's effect on insulin and such. The first article did not seem nearly as critical as the second, and left it up in the air whether or not coffee directly before a workout would be ok.

Before I go to the gym, I usually make a bowl of oatmeal, add a scoop of whey protein, some splenda and about a table spoon of natural peanut butter. About ten mins later I will drink 8-12 ounces of coffee and than go to the gym, my actual workout will probably start 20-30 mins after finishing the coffee. I will usually workout for forty five mins, than drink a shake (whey with oatmeal) than go home and have a real meal an hour later. Usually a tuna sandwich, chicken and oatmeal or eggs and oatmeal. Given all that, do you think the coffee I"m drinking is going to have a negative effect?

[shpongled]

Why not just take a caffeine pill?

A lot easier on the stomach.

David

[Billy Ocean]

nahh 8-12oz wont hurt you, enjoy it. I sometimes do the same.

[cctez]

Coffee, caffeine rather has been shown to cause insomnia in dosages as low as 60mg a day. The only trouble I can see with having a couple cups in the morning is that you might have trouble getting to sleep, and that's when your muscles really do a lot of recovering.

Some people claim that coffee doesn't bother their sleeping, yet they don't get tired until 1am and lay in bed watching tv for half the night.

[newguy72]

Thanks for the input, I'm actually more concerned with caffeine's effect on insulin sensitivity, does anybody have any thoughts on that?

[Uone]

I drink coffee before a workout but I make sure I don't take in any carbs, only protein and some fat. Caffeine taken along with carbs seems to affect blood sugar so I leave it out. Of course, I make sure that I take in some sugars/whey right after the workout and about 45 mins later a complex carb/protein meal.

[newguy72]

Any other thoughts on this?

[shpongled]

Yeah, regular caffeine intake generally reduces your amount of sleep by one hour a night. If you sleep 14 hours a night like me, it's no big deal.

[JamesBarlow]

Originally posted by newguy72
Thanks for the input, I'm actually more concerned with caffeine's effect on insulin sensitivity, does anybody have any thoughts on that?

Caffeine has been shown to reduce insulin sensitivity by around %15.

It has also been shown to dehydrate people and raise blood pressure. Now heres the catch. All of the research I have seen that makes these claims are based on using test subjects who are not regular coffee drinkers. It has been hypothesized by researchers that if the same tests were performed on people who are regular coffee drinkers, or at least regularly ingested some form of caffeine, that the effects would be much less.

I can say from personal experience that after a while of drinking coffee all the so called negative effects that I was feeling at first completely went away.

I will also say that all the competative natural bodybuilders that I know of (I don't know them all) use some form of caffeine in their training. Like myself they take some in the morning and then some pre-workout.

A good side effect of the insulin sensitivity is that taking the caffeine in the morning, and pre-workout, will cause me to have a larger insulin spike in response to my high GI carbs I take at those times. Less carbs with more insulin. Very cool.

[SoSick]

has anything changed in seven years?

[MAX.MAREK]

i drink coffee during workouts at times. great stuff! beats all that bull$hit NO preworkout products. such a waste of $$ when it comes to those.

[BigSkip]

I drink a low carb monster before my workouts. Not healthy but i love it. 150mg of caffeine, taurine, ginseng, guerana and tastes great with only 6 grams of sugar.

[Dyron]

I'd say it depends on the person. Some people can handle large amounts of coffee without problems, while others will **** their bowels out or get headaches.

Personally, I am of the latter kind.

Edit - ****, I just realized when this was started

[Sjnassani]

I always have around 10oz of coffe before my workout so personally I think it's fine