Coffee before work-out

[JFord]

I know that this may come across as sounding vaguely "trollish" but I'm serious.

I've suffered from low back pain since I was a teenager (in my sixties now). It's really the only thing that hasn't improved regarding my health since I started Starting Strength in 2015. It hasn't made it worse though. My pain is always worse in the morning and is bad enough that I often have to take ibuprofen before working out in the AM. This is particularly a problem with squatting.

What I've noticed though is that a cup of black (non-decaf) coffee undeniably makes my pain better before lifting. I can't believe it's just placebo because I've never had a preconception that this would help. I've always drank coffee but never first thing in the morning. Now it's pretty much my norm for the past few weeks.

Has anyone else ever noticed this? I know that The Instapundit is fond of asking "Coffee, is there anything it can't do?" Frankly I've NEVER thought of it as an analgesic before. Would there be any adverse effects of coffee for working out? I think I recall Paul Horn telling me he was okay with it.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Remember Excedrine?

[Ryan Arnold]

Off topic, but if your back pain is worse in the morning would it not be better to train in the afternoon or evening?

[JFord]

Remember Excedrine?

Yeah but Exedrine has aspirin and acetaminophen also which are analgesics. Coffee works for some reason but I'm wondering if anyone else has noted this benefit or noted problems with it during work-outs. I believe that caffeine is in Exedrine because it causes transient cerebral vasoconstriction which can abort migraines.

Off topic, but if your back pain is worse in the morning would it not be better to train in the afternoon or evening?

Unfortunately, motivation falls considerably by the end of the day and mornings work better into my schedule (especially now that I work out in my garage).

[Mark Rippetoe]

So you're taking no other analgesics but the coffee?

[JFord]

So you're taking no other analgesics but the coffee?

Correct. NSAIDs kill my stomach and acetaminophen has stopped working for me. I have to take ibuprofen very sparingly unless I take a Pepcid with it.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Well, you're the first person I've ever heard say that coffee was an analgesic. I believe I'll make some now.

[JFord]

Well, you're the first person I've ever heard say that coffee was an analgesic. I believe I'll make some now.

I'm suggesting it without proof other than its effect on me. I've never heard that it's an analgesic either but it seems to work that way before my work-out. It appears harmless but I was wondering if anyone else has had ill effects from lifting after a cup.

By the way, my argument that this isn't a placebo effect is that I never drank it under the impression that it would ease my chronic pain. I just noticed that it seems to. isn't that contrary to how a placebo would be expected to operate?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't think it's a placebo. I think that there may be an analgesic effect associated with the stimulus.

[JFord]

I don't think it's a placebo. I think that there may be an analgesic effect associated with the stimulus.

Agreed.