Coffee is the signature drink of cyclists everywhere. Americans already drink a lot of coffee on average, but cyclists are even more so known for their love of caffeine. While there has been much debate over the benefits and risks of caffeine in our regular diets, what cyclist is willing to give up their much-cherished cafe breaks?
Thankfully, the science has strongly tilted in our favor; coffee is now proven by scientific studies to provide much-appreciated benefits for serious cyclists. In this article, we want to help enlighten you and your cycling friends about the real proven benefits of coffee.
Caffeine Enhances Cycling Performance Safely
Surprisingly enough, not only is coffee delicious, it also enhances performance! The British Coffee Association states that coffee is “a mild central nervous system stimulant that prompts the release of adrenaline for energy.” This makes coffee a perfect addition to any endurance sport — including cycling.
What’s more: many scientific studies have been done on the effects of coffee on performance in sports — specifically cycling.
One study even showed that coffee significantly improved cycling performance in 5km trials by 9 seconds for men and 6 seconds for women.
Coffee Improves Recovery After a Hard Cycling Session or Race
Not only does coffee improve performance, it may also improve recovery. As cyclists ourselves, we know how your body can feel after a race or an especially hard cycling session. Proper recovery is important, and a fast recovery is the best recovery. Thankfully the caffeine that coffee contains may be able to speed up glycogen replenishment after intense workouts.
In this study, taking 8 mg of caffeine was shown to increase glycogen resynthesis by 66% when compared to drinks that did not contain caffeine. If you are working out hard and your body is feeling the pain and you need to recover quickly, the key is glycogen resynthesis — and coffee can help. Not only can coffee help you recover more quickly, but it is also delicious!
While many experts suggest taking coffee without milk before your workout, during the recovery stage, it is recommended to take your coffee with milk (or milk alternatives), which will provide your body with much-needed fats and proteins.
Coffee and Caffeine Improves Alertness and Cognitive Function
Cyclists must remain alert as they are often overlooked by people driving vehicles and can quickly become endangered by the environment that they find themselves in. As you may well know, coffee helps you wake up — but it’s a little more scientific than that. One scientific study found that not only does coffee improve alertness (duh,) it also improves cognitive function. That means that coffee helps you with reaction times and, therefore, may keep you safe from danger when your situation on the road suddenly changes.
Coffee By Cyclists For Cyclists
Here at Corsa Pro, not only are we coffee enthusiasts, but we are also cyclists like you — with a love for caffeine just like you. Coffee can help us to exercise harder and for longer; it encourages the burning of fat of fuel, and it reduces feelings of fatigue and pain. Not only that, but it’s also delicious! If you’re looking for a sensible choice of coffee, go with Corsa Pro. Vitalize your ride.
