Close to 80 percent of American adults consume caffeine every day, according to the Food and Drug Administration, with most people using it to stay alert and focused. But research has found that caffeine may also have some benefit for leg pain, especially if the pain is related to athletic performance. Since most leg pain is caused by wear and tear, this is good news for people who experience pain in their legs while exercising.
Caffeine's Effects on the Body
Caffeine is a naturally-occurring substance found in over 60 plants, including tea leaves, kola nuts, coffee and cocoa, and it's added to a wide variety of food products, such as energy drinks. Caffeine is absorbed and metabolized quickly, passing into the brain where it acts as a stimulant on your nervous system. Caffeine also causes the release of adrenaline into your body and manipulates the production of dopamine, leading to a temporary "high." This makes your heart beat faster and more blood flow to your muscles, allowing some muscles to contract more easily.
Benefits for Athletic-Related Pain
Exercise physiologist Robert W. Motl, Ph.D., conducted several studies into the effects of caffeine on perceptions of leg pain. The first, published in 2003 in the "Journal of Pain," examined the effect of 10 mg caffeine per kg of body weight in college men during moderate intensity cycling, and found caffeine did seem to reduce pain perception. His team also saw a similar effect in 2006 in college-age women cyclists consuming between 5 and 10 mg caffeine per kg of body weight, in a study published in "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise." A separate team at Baylor University in Texas reported in the "Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research" in 2008 that caffeine was more effective than aspirin at preventing exercise-induced leg pain.
Athletic Pain Considerations
Exercising in the heat can lead to an increased risk for muscle pain. Research published in March 2011 in "Physiology and Behavior" examined whether caffeine would work as well in hot and cool exercise conditions. What they found was that caffeine reduced leg pain in temperatures of 91.4 Fahrenheit by 27 percent, but had no effect on leg pain during exercise in temperatures of 53.6 Fahrenheit. However, caffeine did show that it enhanced exercise endurance by lowering perceived exertion in both warm and cool temperature environments.
Cautions
Consumption of 10 8 oz. cups or above of caffeine daily is considered to be excessive and can cause insomnia, a fast heart rate, tremors and anxiety and contribute to fibrocystic breast disease and menstrual disorders. If you are pregnant or have coronary heart disease or peptic ulcers, you should limit or avoid caffeine intake. Caffeine can also lead to a physical dependence, causing withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, vomiting and irritability. Very high amounts of caffeine can be fatal.
References
- "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise"; Effect of Caffeine on Leg Muscle Pain During Cycling Exercise Among Females; R.W. Motl, et al.; March 2006
- "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism"; Effect of Caffeine on Leg-Muscle Pain During Intense Cycling Exercise: Possible Role of Anxiety Sensitivity; R.C. Gliottoni RC and R.W. Motl; April 2008
- "Journal of Pain"; Effect of Caffeine on Perceptions of Leg Muscle Pain During Moderate Intensity Cycling Exercise; R.W. Motl, et al.; August 2003
- "Physiology and Behavior"; Caffeine Lowers Muscle Pain During Exercise in Hot But Not Cool Environments; M.S. Ganio, et al.; March 2011
- Drugs.com; Caffeine Side Effects; 2009
- MedlinePlus; Caffeine in the Diet; David C. Dugdale, III, M.D.; May 2009
