If you’re a morning runner, chances are you’ve stood in your kitchen holding a mug and wondered: Should I drink coffee before my run?
For many adults, coffee is a daily ritual. But beyond the comfort factor, caffeine is one of the most well-researched and effective performance enhancers available to endurance athletes. Study after study has shown that caffeine can improve focus, reduce perceived effort, and even enhance endurance performance.1Lm, B. (2008, December 1). Caffeine and sports performance. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism = Physiologie Appliquee, Nutrition et Metabolisme. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19088794/
Still, just because caffeine works doesn’t mean it works the same way for everyone. Is your usual cup of coffee enough? Is an espresso, energy drink, pre-workout, or caffeine pill more effective? And do the potential benefits outweigh the possible downsides, such as jitters, GI distress, or disrupted sleep?
I’ll get into what science actually says about coffee and caffeine before running, how much you may need to see performance gains, the different ways to take it, and how to decide whether it fits into your own training and race-day routine.
Should You Drink Coffee Before Running?
There have been quite a few scientific studies investigating the effects of caffeine on exercise performance,2Guest, N. S., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Nelson, M. T., Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Jenkins, N. D. M., Arent, S. M., Antonio, J., Stout, J. R., Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Goldstein, E. R., Kalman, D. S., & Campbell, B. I. (2021). International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4 with benefits showing improvements in sprinting as well as endurance.
Caffeine is a stimulant, so it can increase alertness and energy. It is often used as an ergogenic aid because it can increase stamina or delay the onset of fatigue. It may also increase fat oxidation, which can preserve glycogen stores to prevent “hitting the wall.”
For example, one study3An, S. M., Park, J. S., & Kim, S. H. (2014). Effect of energy drink dose on exercise capacity, heart rate recovery and heart rate variability after high-intensity exercise. Journal of Exercise Nutrition and Biochemistry, 18(1), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.5717/jenb.2014.18.1.31 found that ingesting 2.5 mg/kg of caffeine increased time to exhaustion during high-intensity exercise (11.2 minutes with caffeine versus 7.9 minutes without).
Another study4Pedersen, D. J., Lessard, S. J., Coffey, V. G., Churchley, E. G., Wootton, A. M., Ng, T., Watt, M. J., & Hawley, J. A. (2008). High rates of muscle glycogen resynthesis after exhaustive exercise when carbohydrate is coingested with caffeine. Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md.: 1985), 105(1), 7–13. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01121.2007 looked at the effects of caffeine intake plus carbohydrates on post-workout glycogen resynthesis in trained endurance cyclists.
Results demonstrated that consuming high amounts of caffeine (8 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight) alongside carbs had an additive effect on post-exercise muscle glycogen accumulation compared with consuming carbs alone.
In terms of sprinting efforts, one study5Paton, C. D., Lowe, T., & Irvine, A. (2010). Caffeinated chewing gum increases repeated sprint performance and augments increases in testosterone in competitive cyclists. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 110(6), 1243–1250. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1620-6 found that caffeinated chewing gum reduced fatigue during repeated, high-intensity cycling bouts.
Subjects who had a placebo, non-caffeinated gum saw a performance decline of 5.8%, whereas those who had the caffeinated sports gum saw only a 0.4% decline.
Those with the caffeinated gum also showed increased testosterone levels and decreased cortisol levels.
In addition to micronutrients, coffee is is high in antioxidants,6Svilaas, A., Sakhi, A. K., Andersen, L. F., Svilaas, T., StrömE. C., Jacobs, D. R., Ose, L., & Blomhoff, R. (2004). Intakes of Antioxidants in Coffee, Wine, and Vegetables Are Correlated with Plasma Carotenoids in Humans. The Journal of Nutrition, 134(3), 562–567. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.3.562 which is why consuming a moderate amount of caffeine can be advantageous for your health and may decrease inflammation.
How To Drink Coffee Before Running For The Best Results
As mentioned, studies have shown7Caffeine: Benefits, risks, and effects. (n.d.). Www.medicalnewstoday.com. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285194#uses that caffeine is indeed an ergogenic aid (which means that it can boost athletic performance) for both high-intensity power and speed workouts like sprinting, as well as endurance performance for long-distance running, cycling, etc.
But there are certain considerations to optimize the benefits of coffee before running or using some other form of caffeine.
Here are some tips for how to use caffeine to maximize the perks and minimize the side effects of drinking coffee before running:
Time your cup of Joe.
To maximize the effects of caffeine on exercise performance, you need to time your coffee so that the caffeine is metabolized and reaches its peak potency while you are running.
Studies8Adan, A., Prat, G., Fabbri, M., & Sànchez-Turet, M. (2008). Early effects of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee on subjective state and gender differences. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 32(7), 1698–1703. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2008.07.005 suggest that having a cup of coffee or a source of caffeine about 30-45 minutes before a workout is ideal because it gives the digestive system and liver enough time to have the caffeine reach the bloodstream without waiting too long that the concentration of caffeine begins to decline.
That said, because every runner or endurance athlete has their own unique biochemistry and sensitivity to caffeine, you may need to experiment to see the best caffeine timing before running for your own body.
The caffeine dosage and the other nutrients you consume in your pre-workout meal or snack may also affect how long it takes for caffeine to reach your bloodstream and provide maximum effectiveness as an ergogenic aid.
How Much Coffee Should You Drink Before Running?
Studies9Spriet, L. L. (2014). Exercise and Sport Performance with Low Doses of Caffeine. Sports Medicine, 44(S2), 175–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0257-8 have shown that 3-5mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight is optimal to see the performance benefits of caffeine for running.
To convert your body weight in pounds to kilograms, divide the number of pounds by 2.2.
For example, if you weigh 165 pounds, 165/2.2 = 75 kg.
Then, multiply your body weight in kilograms by 3 and 5 to see the range of milligrams of caffeine you should consume before running to improve running performance.
75 x 3 = 225 mg and 75 x 5 = 375 mg
Note that while research suggests that 3 to 5 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight is the optimal dosage for improving athletic performance, this is quite high.10Spriet, L. L. (2014). Exercise and Sport Performance with Low Doses of Caffeine. Sports Medicine, 44(S2), 175–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0257-8
Many medical experts and running coaches suggest that even a single cup of coffee, which usually contains between 150 and 200 mg of caffeine, is sufficient to have an effective performance boosting benefit for most endurance athletes.
In fact, there’s some evidence11Spriet, L. L. (2014). Exercise and Sport Performance with Low Doses of Caffeine. Sports Medicine, 44(S2), 175–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0257-8 to suggest that even smaller doses of 2 to 3 mg/kg, or about 200 mg total of caffeine, can improve exercise performance.
Another thing to consider is that numerous studies have found that the human body can develop a tolerance to caffeine.12Holtzman, S. G., & Finn, I. B. (1988). Tolerance to behavioral effects of caffeine in rats. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 29(2), 411–418. https://doi.org/10.1016/0091-3057(88)90179-7
This means your body will become accustomed to the amount of caffeine or coffee you regularly consume.
Therefore, the positive effects of coffee or caffeine for stimulating your body, increasing your energy, decreasing the rate of perceived exertion while running, increasing time to fatigue, and helping you feel more awake and alert will be less pronounced.
It is typically best to use the minimum effective dose, meaning you should have as little coffee as necessary before running to see improvements in your running performance.
Another good workaround to help prevent your body from developing a tolerance to caffeine is to do some runs without any coffee rather than having coffee before every run, or have much less caffeine before running a couple of days per week.
This variation will keep your body guessing and may help prevent diminishing effects of caffeine on exercise performance and overall energy levels.
Caffeine has been shown to be an addictive substance,13Evans, S. M., & Griffiths, R. R. (1992). Caffeine tolerance and choice in humans. Psychopharmacology, 108(1-2), 51–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02245285 and like other addictive drugs, you can experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop drinking it suddenly.
Side Effects Of Drinking Coffee Before A Run
Another benefit of keeping your caffeine intake before running on the lower side of the recommended dosage is that there are side effects of drinking too much coffee before running.
For one, coffee is a liquid and a diuretic.
Therefore, if you are drinking several cups of coffee before running, you may find yourself running to the bathroom mid-run—and, not just to pee—coffee tends to stimulate the bowels as well.
Therefore, you may end up with gas, an upset stomach, and an unfortunate case of runner’s diarrhea if you drink too many cups of your favorite morning Joe before lacing up your running shoes.
Other side effects to consuming too much caffeine14Winston, A. P., Hardwick, E., & Jaberi, N. (2005). Neuropsychiatric effects of caffeine. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 11(6), 432–439. https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.11.6.432 include jitters, anxiety, rapid heart rate, nervousness,increased blood pressure,15Maughan, R. J., & Griffin, J. (2003). Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 16(6), 411–420. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-277x.2003.00477.x stomach issues, heart palpitations,difficulty sleeping,16Snel, J., & Lorist, M. M. (2011). Effects of caffeine on sleep and cognition. Progress in Brain Research, 190, 105–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-444-53817-8.00006-2 irritability, tension, and even exacerbated panic attacks.
To minimize these side effects, most health experts17P, N., S, J., J, E., J, R., A, H., & M, F. (2003, January 1). Effects of Caffeine on Human Health. Food Additives and Contaminants. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12519715/ and registered dietitians say you should not exceed 3 mg of caffeine per pound of body weight or about 6 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight per day.
Keep in mind that some of the negative effects of coffee before running may be sidestepped if you choose another form of caffeine, such as caffeinated gum or caffeine pills, and increase your hydration.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand on caffeine and exercise performance notes that chewing gum containing caffeine is an effective ergogenic aid, especially for endurance performance.18Guest, N. S., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Nelson, M. T., Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Jenkins, N. D. M., Arent, S. M., Antonio, J., Stout, J. R., Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Goldstein, E. R., Kalman, D. S., & Campbell, B. I. (2021). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position stand: Caffeine and Exercise Performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4
It has been shown to increase cycling performance when ingested immediately before exercise because it delivers rapidly.
Another perk of these forms of caffeine is that the caffeine dosage is clearly labeled on the product, so you know your exact caffeine consumption.
The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee depends on several factors, such as the coffee beans themselves, how long they were roasted, and how long they were brewed.
Typically, the same principles apply in terms of determining the amount of caffeine in green tea, black tea, Matcha tea, or other caffeinated drinks that you are brewing yourself.
These variables make it hard to know exactly how much caffeine you are getting from coffee drinking before running versus from caffeinated energy gels, chewing gum, or caffeine pills.
The number of milligrams of caffeine in Coke, Pepsi, energy drinks, and other caffeinated soft drinks is typically available online or right on the can of cola or energy drink.
Pre-workout supplements or powders must disclose the caffeine content, but the labeling on some caffeinated pre-workout supplements is not very transparent, and some ingredients can amplify the effects of caffeine, such as taurine.
There are safety precautions and contraindications to drinking coffee with certain medical conditions and medications.
Particularly if you have underlying cardiovascular issues such as high blood pressure or heart disease, kidney disease, migraines, or take medication such as those for hypertension, are pregnant or breast-feeding, or have a heart arrhythmia, you should speak with your healthcare provider before consuming coffee or some form of caffeine as an ergogenic aid.
What about your pre-run snack? This next guide can help you figure out your pre-run nutrition to top off those glycogen stores and be ready to run at your best:
I so love my coffee. I am an avid coffee maker at home and coffee snob. I will never grab a cup of freeze dried anymore. Have not done that in over 15 years. My machine is big and loud and getting up early 5-5:30am for my runs is not conducive to noise for my young family. I do like your suggestion of the Moka pot or Aeropress though. I reckon I can get away with the kettle so i’ll look to grind the night before, store it appropriately so it does not oxidise and do a filter coffee in my V60. Willing to try that as I train for my first half-marathon.
I like good coffee so the morning quick drink wont work for me. Instead I will use a pre-workout drink shot with caffein in it or even take a caffein pill (100mg) before my run. Works quickly and gives the same impact. This way I get my run in then I can sit and enjoy a real coffee after.
Note: I used to do bulletproof coffee combo before races to clear out the plumbing but found the results could slow me down as I ran to a bathroom.
I got addicted to drinking 2 cups of black tea (English and Irish Breakfast) before a run. The run is fantastic! Much more so then if I didn’t have the tea. I don’t like this!!! I used to run for many years without tea and totally enjoyed running but once I discovered tea that all changed. Well, I guess I have to keep it up for the rest of my life or else! As you might expect, I do not recommend starting drinking tea to anyone. I believe this would appaly to coffe and anything else that makes you feel better while runing.