A recent study published in Cell Metabolism suggests that coffee just before a workout in combination with exercise could be the one-two punch your body needs to change your DNA, better adapting to exertion. When it comes to exercise, the study revealed that our genes were turned "on" by regular exercise, thus increasing our degree of adaptation to physical fitness.
Coffee came into play when the researches noticed that muscles tissue reacted similarly to caffeine as it did to exercise. According to Science Daily, researchers "explained that caffeine does mimic the muscle contraction that comes with exercise in other ways." The researchers don't "necessarily recommend anyone drink a cup of joe in place of exercise. It's nevertheless tempting to think that athletes who enjoy a coffee with their workout might just be on to something."
Interesting, don't you think? If you happen to come from a long lineage of couch potatoes who had no athletic talent whatsoever, you could, in fact, have a chance at altering the road map of your body just by doing something good for you: exercise.
Coffee during a workout? Well, I know a lot of you love your coffee before, or even during a workout. If you're not over-consuming caffeine and coffee doesn't have an adverse effect on your body, it probably doesn't harm you to continue enjoying it. Keep in mind the study examined muscle cells in lab dishes. Those cells had presumably never been exposed to caffeine before, thus any exposure to caffeine would result in a positive change. If your body has been exposed to caffeine before, you may not experience the same results as you've already adapted. Studies have shown that people don't get the same kick off coffee after drinking it day after day. The kick, or sharpness, from caffeine comes from inconsistent consumption.
Personally, I find coffee makes me cranky (ask my husband) and promotes fat storage if it elevates cortisol. I've written about in the past. If you're interested in learning how cortisol (elevated by caffeine) can promote fast storage, get the info here!
The Takeaway
Our DNA, and how it's expressed is truly dynamic. What we do to our body has a direct effect on how our body operates in every way. Adages like "you are what you eat," or "exercise is medicine," are proven truer and truer with all studies of this nature. Exercise regularly. Try new forms of fitness to "surprise" your body. Don't stop. Reap the rewards of a healthy body.
If you have any tips or suggestions other readers might find useful, go ahead and post them here, or on my Facebook page. I know I’d love to read them.
Cell Press (2012, March 6). Exercise and caffeine change your DNA in the same way, study suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120306131254.htm
“Coffee came into play when the researches noticed that muscles tissue reacted similarly to exercise as it did to exercise.”
did you mean reacted similarly to coffee as it did to exercise?
Dustin –
Yes, yes, I did. Nice catch. Can you tell I need a good proofer? Thanks, I appreciate it and will change now.
I do not understand anyone who advocates health and a healthy lifestyle advocating coffee. I know most people drink it but it doesn’t make it healthy.
Hi Susan,
I think the focus of the study was more in the area of genetics, but be that as it may, the media will pick up on it and glorify caffeine. I’m not sure if you felt I was advocating caffeine or coffee – as I surely DO NOT – other than a little green tea here and there. If you read the blog’s stress or coffee posts, it’s fairly obvious. Thanks for stopping by and reading.