On some mornings you might call a cup of coffee my best friend with benefits. It gives me that little caffeine push I need to start what is usually an action packed day. So imagine my delight that my beloved java juice may also help me endure the pain of daily workouts. A new study from the University of Illinois shows what many exercise enthusiasts have unknowingly suspected for years, coffee helps lessen the pain of exercise.
Some people use caffeine before workouts in the hopes of metabolizing fat faster, but actually the study shows the greater benefit seems to be that caffeine allows them to push harder and go for longer more intense workouts. Researchers say they know why caffeine makes exercise not hurt as much. The caffeine works to block the pain processors in a person's brain and spinal cord. There also does not seem to be a tolerance level for the amount of coffee needed. This latest study on caffeine and pain appears in the April edition of the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
So the next time you pick up that Starbucks, Caribou, or whatever trips your cup of Joe fantastic, take heart knowing you can now go out and boldly push it to your ultimate fitness level or just maybe my favorite sport: Toddler Wrangling.
