Coffee, the most popular drink in the world, has just received a new talent, especially if we are athletes since a recent study carried out by the University of Georgia (USA) has concluded that drinking coffee improves physical resistance in the face of our sporting prowess. The work has been published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
Building on previous research linking coffee, caffeine, and sports, scientists analyzed more than 600 studies aimed at measuring the interaction between caffeinated coffee and exercise performance.
This stimulant so widespread throughout the planet is absorbed relatively quickly and, once it reaches the stomach, it has an effect on a wide range of systems in our body. Thus, in this reanalysis, the performance of those athletes who drank coffee was significantly increased: athletes who consumed 3-7 mg of caffeine (through coffee) saw an average 24% improvement in their endurance.
“ This is useful for athletes because coffee is a naturally occurring compound. There is a possibility that getting caffeine through coffee consumption has similar endurance benefits to taking caffeine pills, ” explains Simon Higgins, study leader.
As a curiosity, the National Collegiate Athletic Association lists caffeine as a prohibited substance; however, the World Anti-Doping Agency does not classify it as such.
