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12 October 2008 00:39 BST

Drinking coffee after exercise helps muscles refuel

Wednesday, 02 Jul 2008 12:36

Scientists claim drinking coffee after exercising helps muscles

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Scientists have said that drinking coffee after exercising helps muscles replenish more quickly.

A report published in the Journal of Applied Physiology today claims that when athletes ingest both carbohydrates and caffeine following exhaustive exercise, glycogen is restored more rapidly.

In their tests, scientists found that athletes who ingested caffeine with carbohydrate had 66 per cent more glycogen in their muscles four hours after finishing exercising, compared to those who consumed carbohydrates alone.

"If you have 66 per cent more fuel for the next day's training or competition, there is absolutely no question you will go farther or faster," said Dr Hawley, author of report.

Dr Hawley added that it was currently unclear how caffeine aids in facilitating glucose uptake from the blood into the muscles, although, the higher circulating blood glucose and plasma insulin levels were likely to be a factor.

There are potentially negative effects of ingesting too much caffeine such as disturbing sleep and causing jitteriness, Dr Hawley admitted.

And therefore, scientists should look into studying whether ingesting less caffeine than those in their studies would achieve the same results, he added. End of story

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Drinking coffee after exercise helps muscles refuel

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