In order to better understand how coffee affects our muscles, we have to ask ourselves the hard-hitting questions. What is coffee?

Coffee is a brewed beverage made from roasted coffee beans. Its origin can be traced back to a genus of plants called Coffea. 

That being said, coffee is so much more than a plant or a bean. It’s also a delicious and energizing beverage! 

Bitter and dark, coffee is a morning beverage made with hot water and coffee beans. Even though it is a naturally bitter drink, everyone takes their coffee differently. Some enjoy their morning joe with cream and sugar, and some take it black. 

However you enjoy your coffee, one thing's for sure. Each cup of coffee is loaded with caffeine. But what is caffeine and how does it affect us when consumed on a daily basis?

I'm glad you asked. Keep reading to learn more about how caffeine can impact your gains.

Caffeine is commonly used as an ergogenic aid at the gym. But how much caffeine is too much caffeine, and does caffeine help or hinder muscle growth?

Even though caffeine is a stimulant, it can actually have a negative impact on your body if you consume it on a daily basis. Most significantly, according to Livestrong, caffeine has no meaningful effect on muscle growth. 

In fact, recent findings have revealed that caffeine may block skeletal muscle anabolic signaling. This negatively impacts protein synthesis and the capacity for muscle growth.

In other words, contrary to popular belief, drinking coffee on a daily basis won't help you with your gains. Though it may help you get out of bed in the mornings, drinking coffee every day can have more negative side effects than positive side effects.

This is especially true if you want to build muscle mass. Not to mention, there are plenty of additional negative side effects of drinking coffee on a daily basis that can even further hinder your ability to push yourself and achieve your fitness goals. More on this below.

It's no secret that coffee can have some negative side effects, whether you are trying to put on muscle mass or not. 

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 progress and performance at the gym? How does daily coffee intake affect gains?

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 fitness progress and performance over time.

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

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 want to continue gaining muscle mass, you may want to start thinking about quitting coffee for good. Take a look at how quitting coffee can improve your performance at the gym. 

For weight lifters and non-weight lifters 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 our ability to put on muscle mass?

Abstaining from coffee can help improve your gains 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.

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 progress on your gains. 

Consequently, quitting coffee can improve your performance over time. So, if you want to put on muscle mass, what should you drink instead? 

Is there a drink out there that is just as stimulating as coffee, without the negative side effects? 

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

When it comes to gains, there are plenty of morning beverages out there that can make us feel just as stimulated and ready for action as coffee can without the negative side effects.

Check out these energy drinks that won't derail your 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 for muscle gain without undergoing a crash.

Not to mention, these energy drinks won't curve your fitness progress. If you're a bodybuilder or just someone 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 muscle gain. 

EarlyBird is an all-natural morning cocktail made especially for people like you who want to keep the energy high all day and put on some muscle mass.

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 fitness junkies who are looking for an energizing morning beverage that won't make you crash later on.