The Surprising Truth About Coffee After Running

It is a well-known fact that consuming caffeine before a run has many benefits and can increase your stamina and performance. But what about drinking coffee after a run? And, as coffee is a stimulant, is it safe to drink coffee both before and after a run?

When consumed after a run, coffee can aid in muscle recovery by helping to replenish the glycogen stores you lost during your workout. However, before reaching for that cup of coffee, consider the impact coffee has on your body specifically, as coffee after a run is not a good idea for everyone.

Something to consider, for instance, is the time of day you run. Are you running in the mornings or the evenings? How much coffee, if any, do you usually consume before your run? Coffee affects people in different ways, and consuming it after a run may not necessarily be the right choice for everyone.

Potential Benefits And Risks Of Drinking Coffee After A Run

A key benefit of drinking coffee after running is that it can help replenish your glycogen stores, which can help your muscles recover. If consumed in combination with carbohydrates, it can help your muscles recover even faster. We will look at the reason for combining coffee and carbohydrates a little later in this post.

Coffee after a run can also be helpful if you run in the morning, as it can provide your body with energy, countering the fatigue you may feel. Because coffee is a stimulant, it can also help you feel more alert and help you to focus. If you still have to work after your run, coffee can help you avoid falling asleep at your desk, which certainly would not impress your boss.

However, having coffee after a run could potentially be a bad idea, depending on how it affects you personally. For instance, coffee consumed in the evening will keep some people awake all night while not affecting others’ sleep. So, if you run in the evenings and coffee keeps you awake, it may be best to consider an alternative post-recovery drink.

Do you drink coffee or use a pre-workout supplement that contains caffeine before running? If so, consider if drinking more coffee after running could harm your health. For instance, too much coffee can potentially lead to rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which damaged muscle fibers are broken down. Therefore, too much coffee can damage your muscles instead of helping them recover.

So, while drinking coffee after a run can be beneficial to your recovery, it would be good for you to drink it in moderation, as an excessive amount can be detrimental to your health. While each person’s caffeine tolerance is different, experts recommend limiting your caffeine intake to approximately 3.9 grams per day if you are uncertain about how much your body can handle.

How Long After A Run Until Coffee Be Consumed?

When we run, our heart rate increases and remains elevated for a short while after running. In some individuals, their heart rate also increases after consuming caffeine. Additionally, coffee tends to narrow your blood vessels and arteries. Therefore, drinking coffee too soon after a run can put additional strain on your heart, increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or a stroke.

Furthermore, cortisol is produced by your body to help cope with the physical stress while you are running. When you drink coffee, your body also secretes cortisol and norepinephrine. Therefore, drinking coffee too soon after your run can end up causing too much cortisol to be released by your body.

It is, therefore, best to wait until your body has cooled down and your heart rate has returned to normal before having coffee. Some experts recommend waiting about an hour after running before you have coffee.

Can Coffee Be Consumed Both Before And After Running?

Having coffee before a run certainly has many benefits, and caffeine can be found in many pre-workout supplements. Having coffee before a run helps endurance and boosts your body’s performance.

However, caffeine can also help with your body’s post-recovery processes after a run, especially if consumed in combination with carbohydrates. So, does this mean that you should have coffee both before and after your run? Or do you need to choose one or the other?

If you ensure that you do not have too much, having coffee before and after your run should be fine. You might also want to consider establishing how much coffee your body can tolerate before it starts negatively impacting your health. Once you know your body’s limits, you can plan your intake amount before and after your run accordingly.

Why You Should Pair Coffee With Carbohydrates After A Run

It is common knowledge that consuming carbohydrates before exercising is beneficial to athletes as it prevents you from getting hungry and gives you the needed energy to run longer distances. But consuming carbohydrates after a run is also beneficial as it helps restore your glycogen levels, speeding up the time it takes your muscles to recover.

Some scientific studies have shown that caffeine can help your body absorb more carbohydrates. Therefore, consuming coffee in conjunction with carbohydrates can speed up your recovery after a run even more than when consuming coffee only.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) recommends consuming between 1.2 grams of carbohydrates for every 1 kilogram of body-weight every hour for the first four hours after exercising. The agency also suggests the following carbohydrate-containing items after your workout:

• cereal with milk
• fruit
• non-fat yogurt
• pita, hummus
• trail mix
• low-fat chocolate milk
• banana with peanut butter

Summary

Whether or not coffee after running is a good idea will differ from person to person, as coffee affects people differently. Some people’s bodies cannot tolerate coffee at all, while others can tolerate high amounts of caffeine without hurting their health.

Coffee can be good for muscle recovery after running, as it helps to replenish your glycogen levels. If consumed in moderation and your body can tolerate it, coffee can therefore be a good idea after running. It helps if you also considered having carbohydrates with your coffee, as coffee helps the body absorb more carbohydrates, increasing the speed of your post-run recovery even more.