The study published in the journal Nutrients on September 23, 2021, has found that coffee can enhance the recovery of muscular glycogen in endurance athletes after exercise.
The researchers noted that their study demonstrated that coffee can promote the resynthesis of muscle glycogen and improve the glycemic and insulinemic response during a 4-hour recovery period following an intense cycling exercise session, compared to a control group. This finding supports their hypothesis that combining coffee with recommended amounts of carbohydrates can facilitate the recovery of muscle glycogen after exercise.
In summary, the study concludes that incorporating coffee into a post-exercise meal or beverage that contains sufficient carbohydrates is an effective strategy for enhancing muscle glycogen recovery. The researchers also suggest that while the specific components of coffee responsible for this effect are not yet fully understood, caffeine, caffeic acid, and cafestol are potential candidates based on previous research indicating their impact on insulin secretion and muscle glucose uptake. These findings contribute to our current understanding of the ergogenic properties of coffee.