Coffee before exercise may harm the heart

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors; adenosine is a naturally occurring coronary vasodilator. The effect of caffeine on the coronary circulation apparently does not outweigh it's performance-enhancing actions in athletes without heart disease.

That's good, Gull. I still like coffee for sprints. I'll keep on imbibing.

Adenosine's vasodilator properties make it useful in stress testing as an alternative to exercise. Patients are advised not to drink coffee beforehand, since caffeine will block the effect of adenosine on the coronary arteries. Sometimes they will complain of a headache--a caffeine headache--from the unopposed action of adenosine.

OK, Gull, I knew you were a doctor before you said you were a cardiologist, but I'm not sure I understood all that (and I'm from a whole family of doctors). I just know that I have to drink caffeine in the am or I get that so-called "caffeine headache" and if I drink any caffeine after 1:00 pm or so I am at risk for triggering a nasty round of insomnia. But if it is an afternoon meet, I will make an exception. George: What the heck has the effect of 200 cups of coffee? Now, that sounds hazardous to one's heart. Is it even legal?!?! Does it require drug testing?

I have 20 or more cups of very strong coffee a day now and go uptown to Beanies for two or three Double shot lattes. If I don't have coffee at night before I go to bed I can not go to sleep. When I was 36 years old I started to take the caffeine capsules during the races. I would take 3 capsules of caffeine with every food break during a race. I used to get very angry at the boat attendants and once tried to tip the row boat over. After the races I would not sleep for hours. When in bed after a race my body would jerk and bounce in spastic moves. I was at the doctor on Friday and he gave me the results of a bunch of tests, re kidneys heart and the works. He tested my BP and it was 123/70, he said I was in good shape. I do have sugar D and the long term reading was 6.5. He told me come back in 6 months and do the tests again.

Those caffeine pills I took near the end of my career gave me the caffein hit of about 200 cups of coffee were bad??? I guess their was not problem I did not take them before the race just during the race. The rule for Marthon races you could only take stimulants.

My triathlete friends have informed me that energy bars and caffeinated gels can cause dehydration if not taken with water. You obviously haven't learned to ignore 99% of triathlete advise yet. As to caffeine, I'm a big fan of the stuff. I regularly chew a couple of sticks of that Jolt gum or eat a little pack of the caffeinated power gel before a workout. So, George, you drink a gallon of coffee a day? 20 cups at the standard 6 oz per cup gives you just under a gallon. That's kinda crazy.

Geek: I absolutely ignore all triathlete advise that relates to swimming. They don't even swim my strokes and I don't want them in my lane. But I may mull over their advice on nutrition or shin splints. I use gels sometimes. Tried Jolt, but not that Jolt gum yet.... Leslie

Geochuck, 20 OR MORE CUPS A DAY !!!! Dude, what the hell is going on up there in Canada !? When I said I did a double shot of starbucks espresso before my race I thought that was a LOT ! Holy crap ! John Smith

We had something happen in Canada 1n the 60s we had a Tim attack. Ever after that Canada got rid of tea as their national drink. I think I read an article that Canada now consumes more coffee per capita than the USA. I have already had 4 cups of coffee today and the eight cup pot is on again. Tim attack en.wikipedia.org/.../Tim_Hortons When I ran the swimming school in Hamilton there are over 80 stores in Hamilton the kids I was teaching parents would bring me Tim Hortons coffee and put it on the deck while I was teaching. Every half hour a couple of xlarge fresh coffee would appear on the deck. I would teach about 12 hours a day