Does green tea/caffeine boost your exercise efficiency?

AnnaPixie
AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sure I've read this before?? But perhaps I'm dreaming...........cant really remember.

However, unintentionally, before my workout this morning I drank a cup of green tea. I usually drink my normal black tea with milk and xylitol sugar. But today I drank green tea, no additions.

I dont want to get too excited, but I seem to have sailed through my step workout like no other day! Just seemed more energetic, more stamina and generally speeded up! At certain points I was going faster than the instructor on the dvd and had to slow down :laugh:

I reackon I've burned more calories than usual just by upping my performance :bigsmile:

Does anyone know if drinking caffeine before exercise improves performance? And if so, does the caffeine need to be pure ie. no milk or sugar? Or is it just that I'm a bit lighter and springing off that step like a gazelle!! :laugh: :laugh:

Thanks :bigsmile:

PS The gazelle bit was a joke. It wasnt THAT good :wink:

Replies

  • vickiele1
    vickiele1 Posts: 394 Member
    Actually, I read an article just a few weeks ago that research supports that drinking a cup of coffee with caffeine can boost your energy and increase the caloric loss of your exercise routine if consumed within 1 hour before exercising. Since I can't even get my shoes on without a cup of coffee in the morning, I have no gauge to use personally, but it makes sense to me.

    Vickie
  • schoen185
    schoen185 Posts: 23
    I have read a few studies showing this. However, I also know that for me it makes a huge difference!! I work out much harder after my 1-2 cups of coffee!
  • Superman79
    Superman79 Posts: 23
    Green tea has very little caffiene compared to black tea or coffee. But it does boost metabolism. Caffiene can and will give a boost, but the more you drink the more you will need to achieve the same effect, and it can interfere with the way your body burns and processes sugars.

    I'd stay with the green tea, and avoid caffiene.
  • themyriadthings
    themyriadthings Posts: 225 Member
    The green tea has less caffeine than the black tea would, so I don't know if the caffeine aspect would explain the difference this time. Maybe you just are more gazelle-like and hit that sweet spot of energy we all get now and then :)
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Caffeine can have an ergogenic effect, but you have to be careful about drawing conclusions from a single incident. It can be a mistake to assume a "cause and effect" relationship between 2 events, when, in fact, they were just coincidental (actually, that's how most religions were started).

    There could be a number of explanations for your increased performance--there is no way to isolate one effect from the others.
  • Mirabilis
    Mirabilis Posts: 312 Member
    I like green tea for other reasons.

    There is talk about a metabolic effect and I can say when I started drinking it without dieting, I lost 10 pounds in very short order, no other changes to diet or exercise. I've done that more than once, btw, so it wasn't fluke.

    Since I started drinking 2 cups of green tea a day, I haven't had a cold. The last real cold I had was in April 2008. No flu either, even though I work with a lot of parents (children bring these things home from school).

    I figure that's a health benefit that outweighs any energy drink!

    Mirii
  • chelekaz
    chelekaz Posts: 847 Member
    I do not like tea but I take a green tea supplement every day. Also, my husband has an immune deficiency and he takes it to boost his immune system. Definitly a two-fold plus in our house!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    I like green tea for other reasons.

    There is talk about a metabolic effect and I can say when I started drinking it without dieting, I lost 10 pounds in very short order, no other changes to diet or exercise. I've done that more than once, btw, so it wasn't fluke.

    Since I started drinking 2 cups of green tea a day, I haven't had a cold. The last real cold I had was in April 2008. No flu either, even though I work with a lot of parents (children bring these things home from school).

    I figure that's a health benefit that outweighs any energy drink!

    Mirii

    I haven't had a cold either since I started wearing Patagonia Active Classic boxer shorts. It's amazing how those things work.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
    Thanks everyone for your opinions. Vast and varied as usual :bigsmile:

    I already think green tea is, at worst, a healthy and hot drink with zero calories! :love:

    At best, if it can increase metabolism, prevent colds, assist in weight loss, give you more energy and stamina, boost your immune system and whatever else...... then wooooo hooooooo!!

    I'm going to drink it again before my workout tomorrow, that is for sure :drinker:
  • AONeal79
    AONeal79 Posts: 4
    Are green tea supplements as effective as drinking green tea? I don't like tea itself, but have begun taking these supplements:
    http://www.americarx.com/products/31416.html

    Any feedback/thoughts?

    Thanks so much!
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    I like green tea for other reasons.

    There is talk about a metabolic effect and I can say when I started drinking it without dieting, I lost 10 pounds in very short order, no other changes to diet or exercise. I've done that more than once, btw, so it wasn't fluke.

    Since I started drinking 2 cups of green tea a day, I haven't had a cold. The last real cold I had was in April 2008. No flu either, even though I work with a lot of parents (children bring these things home from school).

    I figure that's a health benefit that outweighs any energy drink!

    Mirii

    I haven't had a cold either since I started wearing Patagonia Active Classic boxer shorts. It's amazing how those things work.
    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: OK, now with that comment the company should be sending you some free ones Azdak! You never cease to make me smile even when you're not trying too!:tongue::drinker:

    Love you being part of this site...keeps us all on our toes, and me smiling and rethinking things in new ways!:flowerforyou:
    Thank you for that!:happy:
This discussion has been closed.

Categories