Recently I have seen people talking about cutting caffeine out of their diet. In most cases, appropriate consumption of caffeine is not only safe, but also highly beneficial. There are instances where people need to take a break, especially if they’re using caffeine as a crutch.  

However, it is important to point out a few of the key benefits of appropriate caffeine consumption:  

1) Caffeine consumption prior to exercise has been shown to improve endurance (1) 

2) Caffeine enhances mental performance and mood (1)  

3) 300mg of caffeine daily is safe for general health and (1) 400mg of caffeine/daily is safe for cardiovascular health (3) 

4) Caffeine consumption may be insulative from certain chronic diseases (1)  

It is also important to note that much research has confirmed that no link exists between coronary heart (artery) disease, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and consumption of coffee (1, 2).  

 

How do you get caffeine in? I use plain espresso, such as Café Bustelo or a pre workout such as Assassin or Hooligan by Apollon Nutrition. Of course, pre workouts have more than caffeine in them, and this is a topic for another post! 

 

Have questions? Send me a note at [email protected]   

References: 

1) International Food Information Council Foundation. (2008). Caffeine & Health: Clarifying the controversies. https://foodinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/Caffeine_v8-2.pdf  

2) Lopez-Garcia, E., van Dam, R.M., Willett, W.C., Rimm, E.B., Manson, J.E., Stampfer, M.J., Rexrode, K.M., Hu, F.B. (2006). Coffee consumption and coronary heart disease in men and women: A prospective cohort study. Circulation, 113(17), 2045–53. 

3) Nawrot, P., Jordan, S., Eastwood, J., Rotstein, J., Hugenholtz, A., Feeley, M. (2003). Effects of caffeine on human health. Food Addit Contam, 20(1), 1-30.