Caffeine and Inflamation of the Body

[Makalakumu]

I just recently cut way back on my caffiene intake and I increased how much water I have been drinking and I noticed that my recovery time after a hard workout has dramatically decreased. I also read that caffeine is a major inflamatory agent and that it can really aggravate aches and pains all over ones body. My goal is to reduce my caffeine intake down to one or two cups of coffee per day and to increase my water intake even more because I'd like to see how this affects my health. I thought I'd start a thread about it so I could give periodic reports and so the topic of caffeine and inflamation could be discussed.

 

[rutherford]

I try my best to use caffeine as the drug that it is. There's free coffee at work constantly, but I try to take advantage of it only when I feel it's necessary and use lots of milk to cut the acidity.

My ex-wife starts her day with a pot of coffee and gets wicked headaches if she doesn't have enough every morning. To me, that screams all kinds of warning signs.

 

[Martial Tucker]

I've never heard of caffeine as an inflamatory, but I guess anything that ramps up your central nervous system would tend to magnify aches and pains

I do know that caffeine is a diuretic, so if you drink much coffee, and are active, you definitely need more water. One thing I started doing is storing separate containers of regular and decaf coffee. For my normal morning pot (about 2 1/2 large cups), I mix 60% decaf/40% regular. It still tastes great and gives me a decent morning boost, but I also noticed I don't "crash" in the afternoon anymore after I switched to this. The separate containers also give me the option of making full regular or full decaf for company, or whatever....

 

[TigerWoman]

I drink about 1-2 cups a day but they are mini tankards so more equal to 4 actual measurement cups. After noon, my husband and I drink decaf. I would like a boost after eating lunch but have found too much caffeine makes me too wired especially since we use Kauai Peaberry Dark beans. The additional effect of having worked out prior either in the morning or at noon aids the urge just to go take a nap after lunch, if I don't keep busy. But I usually go do pottery, kick the wheel, wrestle the clay or the laundry.

Since I take an Advil prior to workout, then glucosamine 2x a day, and also ice my knees if a heavy workout. Last night though, leading kickboxing, I jumped a lot and didn't feel any after effects on my knees with no icing. Even with a quick turnaround and doing kickboxing again this morning at 8am(w/coffee + advil), I feel good. Fifteen minutes of stretching afterwards which I incorporated into the workout definitely helps soreness ie. inflammation. It's slow and time consuming but has an amazing effect.

So, no I don't think coffee has anything to do with it other than get my blood moving in the morning so that my brain wakes up and the muscles fuel up from the breakfast. TW

 

[Carol]

Is the improved recovery time from the water, or from the extra fluids?

Personally, I found my recovery time improved a lot when I got more vigilant about drinking more fluids, but with my caffeine intake is a constant.

 

[Bigshadow]

I drink coffee in the morning and afternoon. Leaded fuel only, please! I don't drink it late in the evening tho, it will keep me awake. I also drink plenty of water.

I haven't read anything about it being an inflamatory, however, I have read alot of studies regarding caffine. There is alot of conflicting information out there.

I read an article today about caffine and heart disease. They have found that people with a specific gene mutation metabolise caffine slowly versus quickly and this may cause heart disease. They say that half of all coffee drinkers have this gene mutation. I will post it.

I would like to caution people, that you CAN drink TOO MUCH water. The kidneys can only process so much, then your body will store it. This comes directly from Kidney doctors. Overworking your kidneys is not a good thing either.

 

[JamesYazell]

Bigshadow that is true but few people need to worry about drinking to much water when so many people don't drink enough water.

 

[RoninPimp]

Coffee is a gift from the gods.