What endurance athletes should know about coffee
Coffee is part of the daily routine for many endurance athletes. It may be the first thing you reach for before an early ride, the caffeine source you use before a race, or simply something you enjoy as part of breakfast. Research generally paints a favorable picture of moderate coffee consumption and it can also provide enough caffeine to support endurance performance. However, the bean, roast, serving size and brewing method all influence what you're actually taking in. For athletes, there are two questions to consider:
How much caffeine should you, and are you actually consuming before training or racing?
How much could your coffee affect long term health?
Caffeine dose for endurance performance
Caffeine can improve several aspects of exercise performance including aerobic endurance, muscular endurance, vigilance, and perceived effort. Benefits are commonly observed with approximately 3 to 6 mg/kg body mass, although some athletes respond to lower doses and higher doses are not necessarily more effective. Taking ~1-3 mg/kg of caffeine in coffee 45-60 min before a training session or event is a generally safe and effective protocol for athletes who do enjoy drinking coffee and want the performance benefit. For a 70 kg athlete, this is 210 mg of caffeine in the coffee.
Caffeine content based on coffee brewing method
Caffeine levels in coffee are highly variable due to the type of roast, the quantity of the grounds, and the brewing method. A standard 8 ounce cup of coffee might contain ~150-160 mg caffeine whereas a single shot of espresso may contain ~70-80 mg caffeine but there is a wide range based on the machine, beans, grind, and process.
Additional implications of brewing method
Caffeine gets most of the attention, but coffee contains hundreds of biologically active compounds including something called diterpenes. Cafestol and kahweol are diterpenes that are naturally occurring and found in the oily portion of coffee; and, cafestol in particular appears to have a significant effect on blood cholesterol. The brewing method matters because it changes the amount of cafestol and kahweol in the finished beverage. A paper filter traps much of the oils and substantially reduces the amount of cafestol and kahweol that reaches the cup. Metal filters and brewing methods that leave more coffee oils in the beverage allow more of these compounds to pass through and controlled trials have shown that regularly consuming coffee with higher diterpene concentrations can lead to an increase total and LDL cholesterol. Coffee itself does not contain cholesterol. Instead, its diterpenes can influence how the body produces and clears cholesterol.
A 2012 meta analysis of randomized controlled trials found that coffee consumption increased LDL cholesterol by an average of 5.4 mg/dL, although the magnitude varied according to coffee preparation and intake but the cholesterol raising effect was more evident with unfiltered coffee.
Across studies, regular unfiltered coffee consumption has commonly raised LDL by approximately 5 to 10 mg/dL, with larger increases reported during high intakes of boiled or French press coffee. Paper filtered coffee produced much smaller and less consistent changes and the general summary of current evidence suggests that the effect of paper filtered coffee on LDL is substantially smaller than that of unfiltered coffee.
What counts as filtered coffee?
Filtered coffee generally means coffee that passes through a disposable paper filter. Paper filtered coffee contains very little cafestol compared with French press and other unfiltered preparations. The exact amount removed varies with the coffee dose, grind size, contact time, filter material, and brewing process.
Research suggests that cafestol is retained through a combination of the paper filter, the spent coffee grounds, and the brewing system. For an athlete who drinks coffee every day and is concerned about LDL cholesterol, using a paper filter is the clearest practical brewing change. Importantly, filtering affects coffee oils much more than caffeine. Caffeine is water soluble and passes through a paper filter. You can therefore choose paper filtered coffee for cardiovascular health without giving up its potential performance benefits. Examples of paper filtered coffee include:
Traditional drip coffee prepared with a paper filter
Pour over coffee prepared with a paper filter
Single serving systems that use an effective paper based filter
Unfiltered or less thoroughly filtered preparations include:
French press coffee
Cowboy coffee
Espresso
Coffee prepared using reusable metal filters
Cold brew does not automatically qualify as filtered coffee. Cold brew strained only through metal mesh or cloth may retain more coffee oils than cold brew passed through paper. Espresso also contains diterpenes, but serving size matters. A single espresso is different from consuming multiple espresso drinks throughout the day. Several shots can add up quickly, both for diterpene exposure and caffeine intake. You can also look for a small paper filter for your portafilter if you choose to continue to make espresso drinks.
The bigger LDL picture
Switching from unfiltered to paper filtered coffee can be useful, but it should not distract from the overall dietary pattern. Foods rich in soluble fiber, including oats, barley, beans, lentils, and psyllium, can help reduce LDL cholesterol. Replacing foods high in saturated and trans fats with foods rich in unsaturated fats also matters. Nuts, seeds, avocado, soy foods, whole grains, pulses, and unsaturated oils can all contribute to a heart healthy dietary pattern. For endurance athletes, these foods also support energy intake, carbohydrate availability, recovery, and overall diet quality. Filtering coffee is a simple adjustment, but it won't compensate for an inadequate or poorly balanced daily nutrition plan.
Key Takeaways
For endurance athletes, the healthiest and most practical everyday choice is paper filtered coffee if coffee intake is high and LDL cholesterol is a concern. French press, espresso, boiled coffee, and coffee prepared with metal filters can still be enjoyed but frequency and volume matter. An occasional espresso-based drink is different from consuming several unfiltered coffees every day. From a performance perspective, coffee can provide an effective dose of caffeine, but the amount is somewhat difficult to predict. If precise dosing matters, use a repeatable home brewing method, measured instant coffee, or a caffeine product with a clearly stated dose. Test your strategy during training, count caffeine from all sources, and always consider your sports nutrition strategy in the context of prioritizing long-term individual health.
References
1 Cai L, Ma D, Zhang Y, Liu Z, Wang P. The effect of coffee consumption on serum lipids: A meta analysis of randomized controlled trials. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2012;66:872–877. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2012.68
2 Jee SH, He J, Appel LJ, Whelton PK, Suh I, Klag MJ. Coffee consumption and serum lipids: A meta analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2001;153(4):353–362. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/153.4.353
3 Urgert R, Meyboom S, Kuilman M, et al. Comparison of effect of cafetière and filtered coffee on serum concentrations of liver aminotransferases and lipids: Six month randomized controlled trial. BMJ. 1996;313:1362–1366. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.313.7069.1362
4 Bak AAA, Grobbee DE. The effect on serum cholesterol levels of coffee brewed by filtering or boiling. New England Journal of Medicine. 1989;321:1432–1437. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM198911233212103
5 van Dusseldorp M, Katan MB, van Vliet T, Demacker PNM, Stalenhoef AFH. Cholesterol raising factor from boiled coffee does not pass a paper filter. Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis. 1991;11(3):586–593. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2029499/
6 Fried RE, Levine DM, Kwiterovich PO, et al. The effect of filtered coffee consumption on plasma lipid levels: Results of a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 1992;267(6):811–815. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1992.03480060057030
7 Corrêa TAF, Rogero MM, Mioto BM, et al. Paper filtered coffee increases cholesterol and inflammation biomarkers independent of roasting degree: A clinical trial. Nutrition. 2013;29(7–8):977–981. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2013.01.003
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