Question:

The problem is that if they don’t get some water after that coffee, they will be in even more trouble later.

Somehow, I don’t that’s true.  Again, it would depend on the strength of the coffee.  Its just one of those commonly accepted beliefs presented by the medical community that I think we should question to some degree.  While it is probably true, it is probably not as pronounced of a dehydration effect as we are led to believe.  The "old doctors" tale about "cold not causing a cold" is a falsehood still believed by most people.  Being out in the cold will under certain circumstance nearly always result in a cold.  But, under controlled circumstances it nearly always won’t.  Roy

Response:

A little red wine is very good for you each day but not because of the alcohol content.

Well said, its the grape more than the alcohol that is good for you.  Grape juice is great.  Roy

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Have to disagree– I do not believe that cold causes a cold. dave

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The problem is that if they don’t get some water after that coffee, they will be in even more trouble later. Somehow, I don’t that’s true.  Again, it would depend on the strength of the coffee.  Its just one of those commonly accepted beliefs presented by the medical community that I think we should question to some degree.  While it is probably true, it is probably not as pronounced of a dehydration effect as we are led to believe.  The "old doctors" tale about "cold not causing a cold" is a falsehood still believed by most people.  Being out in the cold will under certain circumstance nearly always result in a cold.  But, under controlled circumstances it nearly always won’t.  Roy

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Both alcohol and caffeine are dehydrating. Probablhave to hit the bushes a lot after this. Before you buy.

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: During the summer I work nights tending bar.  This means that I usually go : to bed late and almost always have a few free drinks after work.  Anyway, I : pretty much rely on a cup of coffee if I want to be out of bed before 11am. : However, I always feel that the coffee ruins my runs.  It makes me feel like : I have little strength in my legs and I get winded easily.  Is this just in : my mind? Damn!  Another thread without the benefit of Macelroy’s wisdom. Where is he when we need him?

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One thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that both alcohol and coffee dehydrate you I’ve commented on the coffee issue before.  I’ve never understood how coffee would dehydrate you with its main ingredient being water.  If a person was dying of thrist, would drink coffee, if strong coffee make them worse?  I can understand sea water being a problem.  What if you took the extra water you were going to drink and poured it in your coffee … does weak coffee then better?  Somewhere there is a trade off.  If I drink 3 cups of water a day … and 3 cups of coffee … it seems I would be better of to get more water in me … even if it was a 4 cup of coffee … I not disagreeing … it just has always seemed odd … what’s the research?  Roy

Last summer, the doctors reversed their opinion on beer, saying that beer is much better than not drinking at all, but still worse than water (beer is 4.5-4.8% alcohol volume here in Denmark). So they now probably would agree with your coffee thing as well. I do not get the urge to pee if drinking coffee/tea, so I can not really see the caffeine doing much to me.

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Last summer, the doctors reversed their opinion on beer, saying that beer is much better than not drinking at all, but still worse than water (beer is 4.5-4.8% alcohol volume here in Denmark).

The heart professionals have been saying for MANY years, albeit in a whisper, that a little alcohol every day is better than abstinence. Doug

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The heart professionals have been saying for MANY years, albeit in a whisper, that a little alcohol every day is better than abstinence. Doug

I recall that the above statistic was true but for the wrong reason:- it was based on longevity and amount of alcohol consumed. The fact was that a  lot of people who did not drink at all died prematurely, thus suggesting that a little alcohol was actually beneficial.(It would be difficult to prove that a lot of alcohol was beneficial to health!). Some had once been heavy alcohol consumers and had already irreparably damaged their livers but overcame alcoholism and became teetotal but still died early from alcohol related illness. A little red wine is very good for you each day but not because of the alcohol content. Tom

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Coffee is a diuretic, which means it makes your body get rid of water (thorugh urination).  Softdrinks (especially high-caffeine ones like Mountain Dew–my personal favorite) do the same thing

Caffeine has not been found to have the same diuretic effects during exercise.

Response:

Coffee is a diuretic, which means it makes your body get rid of water (thorugh urination).  Softdrinks (especially high-caffeine ones like Mountain Dew–my personal favorite) do the same thing Caffeine has not been found to have the same diuretic effects during exercise.

I drank watered down Coke for the last 40 miles of my last race. Taken with sufficient water, it is just fine. — Caveat Lector!

Response:

One thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that both alcohol and coffee

dehydrate you I’ve commented on the coffee issue before.  I’ve never understood how coffee would dehydrate you with its main ingredient being water.  If a person was dying of thrist, would drink coffee, if strong coffee make them worse?  I can understand sea water being a problem.  What if you took the extra water you were going to drink and poured it in your coffee … does weak coffee then better?  Somewhere there is a trade off.  If I drink 3 cups of water a day … and 3 cups of coffee … it seems I would be better of to get more water in me … even if it was a 4 cup of coffee … I not disagreeing … it just has always seemed odd … what’s the research?  Roy

Response:

Just to add to the thread … coffee is also a diuretic meaning it can prompt urination. However, many authors of marathon books, and coaches, actually   encourage runners to stick to their normal routines before long runs, especially marathons. So if you normally have a cup of coffeee in the morning go ahead and have a cup before running. I do it all the time and while I am not an elite runner nor an ‘expert,’ I have successfully run 3 marathons, all   after drinking a morning cup of joe. Joe One thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that both alcohol and coffee dehydrate you I’ve commented on the coffee issue before.  I’ve never understood how coffee would dehydrate you with its main ingredient being water.  If a person was dying of thrist, would drink coffee, if strong coffee make them worse?  I can understand sea water being a problem.  What if you took the extra water you were going to drink and poured it in your coffee … does weak coffee then better?  Somewhere there is a trade off.  If I drink 3 cups of water a day … and 3 cups of coffee … it seems I would be better of to get more water in me …. even if it was a 4 cup of coffee … I not disagreeing … it just has always seemed odd … what’s the research?  Roy

Wang Lo — "Baseball have it all wrong. Man with 4 balls cannot walk."

Response:

Coffee is a diuretic, which means it makes your body get rid of water (thorugh urination).  Softdrinks (especially high-caffeine ones like Mountain Dew–my personal favorite) do the same thing.  If you are going to enjoy that cup of coffee before your run, that is not a problem–just be sure to also have an extra glass of water. With regards to someone dying of thirst, water would better than coffee, but if coffee is the only thing there is, go ahead and give it to them.  The problem is that if they don’t get some water after that coffee, they will be in even more trouble later. dave

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – One thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that both alcohol and coffee dehydrate you I’ve commented on the coffee issue before.  I’ve never understood how coffee would dehydrate you with its main ingredient being water.  If a person was dying of thrist, would drink coffee, if strong coffee make them worse?  I can understand sea water being a problem.  What if you took the extra water you were going to drink and poured it in your coffee … does weak coffee then better?  Somewhere there is a trade off.  If I drink 3 cups of water a day … and 3 cups of coffee … it seems I would be better of to get more water in me … even if it was a 4 cup of coffee … I not disagreeing … it just has always seemed odd … what’s the research?  Roy

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During the summer I work nights tending bar.  This means that I usually go to bed late and almost always have a few free drinks after work.  Anyway, I pretty much rely on a cup of coffee if I want to be out of bed before 11am. However, I always feel that the coffee ruins my runs.  It makes me feel like I have little strength in my legs and I get winded easily.  Is this just in my mind?

Response:

dude it’s the drinks you had the night before, not the morning coffee.  one cup of joe is a stimulant and shouldn’t detract from your running performance unless you stop to pee.  You’re probably winded from smoking cigarettes.  I drink coffee all day and have never thought it worsened performance, unless I had so much I was shaking and puking… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – During the summer I work nights tending bar.  This means that I usually go to bed late and almost always have a few free drinks after work.  Anyway, I pretty much rely on a cup of coffee if I want to be out of bed before 11am. However, I always feel that the coffee ruins my runs.  It makes me feel like I have little strength in my legs and I get winded easily.  Is this just in my mind?

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Response:

Actually the caffeine in the coffee should act as a bronical dilator and make breathing easier, it’s been used for minor asthma attacks.  I know of several nationally ranked age group runners who swear by their cup of coffee shortly before a race.  Try skipping the after work drinks but keep the coffee and see what happens.  How much smoke are you breathing at the bar?  I would worry about that having a greater affect on my breathing.   Tom

: During the summer I work nights tending bar.  This means that I usually go : to bed late and almost always have a few free drinks after work.  Anyway, I : pretty much rely on a cup of coffee if I want to be out of bed before 11am. : However, I always feel that the coffee ruins my runs.  It makes me feel like : I have little strength in my legs and I get winded easily.  Is this just in : my mind?

Response:

One thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that both alcohol and coffee dehydrate you, so you’ll want to drink at least an extra cup of water for each cup of coffee/serving of alcohol you enjoy. dave – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – During the summer I work nights tending bar.  This means that I usually go to bed late and almost always have a few free drinks after work.  Anyway, I pretty much rely on a cup of coffee if I want to be out of bed before 11am. However, I always feel that the coffee ruins my runs.  It makes me feel like I have little strength in my legs and I get winded easily.  Is this just in my mind?

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