Does your cup runneth over?

24 August 2017 - By Graham Eyre

Runners, need a reason to drink more coffee? Here are 8 

It wakes you up, energises your workout, and gets your system moving, too. But if you need reasons to indulge in that second or third cup read on. The latest research shows that drinking coffee is a (mostly) healthy habit that may make you happier and less stressed, and reduce risk for diseases. Caffeine isn’t the only beneficial compound in coffee, it’s also a rich source of antioxidants, which means decaf drinkers benefit, too.

1: Relieve stress
Take a whiff of coffee and you’ll likely feel better. That’s because coffee contains volatile aroma compounds that affect mood.

2: Improve mood
According to a National Institutes of Health study, adults who drink four cups or more of coffee daily are about 10 percent less likely to be depressed than non-coffee drinkers. Scientists think caffeine may work as a mild antidepressant by impacting neurotransmitters, such as dopamine.

3: Boost antioxidants
Arabica coffee beans are rich in antioxidant compounds called caffeoyl quinic acids. One study showed consuming three cups of Arabica coffee daily for four weeks can lower markers for oxidative DNA damage.

4: Power performance
Researchers gave cyclists and triathletes a drink with 350mg of caffeine, coffee with an equal amount of caffeine, decaf coffee, or a placebo drink. One hour later the participants performed a cycling test. The caffeine group and regular coffee group performed equally well, and both were faster than the placebo and decaf groups.

5: Lower heart-disease risk
A study review published in the journal Circulation found that moderate coffee intake (three to four cups a day) is associated with a significant reduction in heart-disease risk.

6: Dodge diabetes
A meta-analysis in the European Journal of Nutrition stated that for every two cups of regular or decaf coffee you consume per day, your risk for type 2 diabetes decreases by 10 to 12 percent. The greatest risk reduction is in drinkers with healthy BMI, which means coffee may help already-slim runners ward off the disease.

7: Enhance brain function
Research shows that the antioxidants in coffee may help protect the brain from cognitive loss and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

8: Protect your liver
A review of liver disease research shows that consuming one to two cups of coffee (not just caffeinated beverages) per day can protect this vital organ, especially for those at risk of poor liver health, such as people who drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day.

Courtesy of Runners World