In the early 1900s, scientists began to use caffeine to create sports drinks designed to enhance athletic performance. This marks the beginning of coffee's role in the world of competitive sports.

Coffee is a stimulant that directly affects the central nervous system as soon as it is consumed. In other words, coffee can help you achieve your fitness or performance goals by energizing your body. 

That being said, is it safe for athletes to drink coffee every day? What are the long-term effects of coffee on athletes, and are there other beverages athletes can drink to get energized that won't make you crash later on in the day?

I'm glad you asked. Coffee is safe for athletes to drink, and many athletes drink coffee on a daily basis to boost their energy.  

The best time for an athlete to drink coffee is about 45 minutes to an hour before working out. An athlete shouldn't consume more than 1-2 cups of coffee in one sitting. 

That being said, coffee is best for enhancing the performance of endurance athletes only. Coffee can also hinder athletic performance over time.

Although caffeine tends to be the performance-enhancing drug of choice amongst athletes because it is allowed by the Olympics and NCAA organizations, there is a limit on how much caffeine an athlete can consume before competing.

Not to mention, there are plenty of negative side effects of consuming coffee on a daily basis. 

 So is it worth it for athletes to drink coffee, or would most athletes be better off drinking a coffee alternative to boost their energy?

Keep reading to learn more about the effects coffee can have on athletes and athletic performance.

It's no secret that coffee can have some negative side effects, both on athletes and non-athletes. 

When it comes to drinking coffee every day, general side effects include:

• Increased blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Restlessness
• Upset stomach
• Nausea 
• Vomiting
• Increased heart rate
• Increased breathing rate
• Dependency 

But how does daily coffee intake affect long-term athletic progress and performance?

A recent study tested the impact of coffee on 18 male athletes. The results of the study revealed that subjects who consumed high amounts of coffee on a daily basis saw a decline in athletic performance over time. 

Those in the study who consumed less coffee on a daily basis were able to maintain their athletic performance over the course of the study. 

In other words, daily coffee intake can actually derail your athletic progress and performance over time.

In the study, drinking coffee benefited the athletic performance of those who rarely drink the beverage. This means that in order to maximize the benefits of drinking coffee for athletic performance, coffee shouldn't be consumed on a regular basis. 

For non-athletes, it is generally recommended to avoid consuming more than 4 cups of coffee per day. If you are consuming more than 4 cups of coffee per day, you may be increasing your risk for heart disease and other health issues.

So, if you're an athlete who wants to continue to improve, you may want to start thinking about quitting coffee for good. Take a look at how quitting coffee can improve athletic performance. 

For athletes and non-athletes alike, recent studies have shown that quitting coffee can help you lower anxiety!

In addition, quitting coffee can help lower cortisol levels in the body.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that tells your body to store belly fat. In other words, quitting coffee can help you lose weight! In addition, it can lower your blood pressure by several points. 

And it doesn't stop there. The general health benefits of quitting coffee include:

• Reduced anxiety
• Improved mood
• Improved sleep quality
• Improved cortisol level regulation
• Improved vitamin absorption
• Improved mineral absorption
• Improved blood pressure
•  Improved heart rate
• No dependency

As you can see, quitting coffee can benefit our health in many ways. But how does quitting coffee improve athletic performance?

Abstaining from coffee can help improve athletic performance because it allows your body to get back to its baseline energy levels.

In other words, if you drink coffee all the time, your body will be dependent on it in order to perform at a minimum level. This could mean trouble if you run out of espresso on the day of the big game! 

A recent study conducted by the Journal of Applied Physiology revealed that athletes who stopped consuming coffee on a daily basis saw an increase in benefits from drinking coffee on the day of athletic performance. 

In other words, coffee is most effective if you only drink it on the day you need to enhance your performance. If you drink coffee every day, you will derail your athletic progress. 

If you're an athlete, you won't benefit from drinking coffee every day. In fact, quitting coffee can improve your performance over time. So, what should you drink instead? 

Are there energy drinks out there that you can drink every day, without derailing your progress on the field? 

I'm glad you asked. Keep reading to learn about the best coffee alternatives for athletes that can improve performance without negative side effects.

When it comes to leaving it all out on the field, coffee has been an important part of how we energize ourselves. On the other hand, there are plenty of morning beverages out there that can make us feel just as stimulated and ready to win as coffee can without the negative side effects.

Check out these energy drinks that won't derail your athletic progress over time:

• EarlyBird
• Matcha Tea
• Chlorophyll Water
• Athletic Greens
• Yerba Mate
• Lemon Water
• Green Tea 
• Vegetable Juice
• Golden Milk
• Chai Tea
• Kombucha
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Gatorade
• Powerade

As you can see, there are plenty of coffee alternatives that athletes can drink to boost their energy levels without undergoing a crash.

Not to mention, these energy drinks won't curve your fitness progress. If you're an athlete who wants to stay energized all day without experiencing any negative side effects, consider EarlyBird, an all-natural energy drink chock-full of hydrating electrolytes and essential vitamins. 

Keep reading to learn more about the difference between coffee and its alternatives.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, there is no difference in classification between sports drinks and energy drinks.

So, when it comes to coffee and sports drinks (energy drinks), one of the most adverse side effects of both stimulating beverages is the jitters.

A standard can of Monster has 160mg of caffeine, which is almost double that of a coffee. That much caffeine can definitely cause the jitters, especially considering some people have more than one can per day. 

In addition, Monster is loaded with 13 full teaspoons of sugar, which equals 54g per serving. Could you imagine shoveling 13 teaspoons of sugar into your mouth? 

Monster is surely going to give you a sugar crash. If avoiding jitters is your priority, Monster is not the drink for you. 

Red Bull actually has far less caffeine than a can of Monster, coming in at 80mg of caffeine. This is also a bit less than a cup of coffee.

Most people won't feel jittery after a single can of Red Bull, but if you have a low caffeine tolerance, even a Red Bull may make you feel jittery. 

Red Bull also has less sugar, coming in at 27g per serving, but it's still quite a lot, so I don't recommend drinking a Red Bull every day.

Additional side effects of consuming energy drinks on a daily basis include:

• Increased blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• Dizziness
• Sweating
• Increased anxiety
• Heart palpitations
• Dehydration
• Restlessness

Both coffee and energy drinks can cause energy spikes and sugar crashes. Both are stimulating beverages designed to help you get sh*t done.

But did you know that some coffee alternatives like EarlyBird can help you stay energized while actually improving your overall health?

Keep reading to learn more about EarlyBird and why it's one of the best coffee alternatives for athletes. 

EarlyBird is an all-natural morning cocktail made especially for people like you who want to keep the energy high all day and improve their athletic performance.

Well, you're in luck. Not only does EarlyBird help you start your day, but it helps you finish it, too. 

EarlyBird contains a unique blend of hydrating electrolytes and antioxidants such as L-Theanine and L-Tyrosine. Not only does this all-natural blend help wake you up in the morning, but it keeps you feeling awake and alert all day without crashing. 

In other words, EarlyBird can help you shed time off your sprints at practice or get those extra gains you've been working for at the gym. 

In addition, EarlyBird contains zero grams of sugar, zero carbs, and zero calories. It’s almost too good to be true!

Drinking EarlyBird is my personal favorite coffee alternative for staying alert all day and getting sh*t done! It's the obvious choice for athletes who are looking for an energizing morning beverage that won't make you crash later on.