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Thread: Caffeine: catabolic or anabolic

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
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    Default Caffeine: catabolic or anabolic

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    Robert, I recently read some conflicting studies about the effects of caffeine in muscle. Some said they are anabolic (consuming a drink containing caffeine and carbohydrates and caffeine resulted in a 66% increase in muscle glycogen 4 hours post workout vs consuming a carbohydrate-only drink) while others said they are strictly catabolic. What is your insight on this?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    Phoenix, AZ
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    Citation?

    Caffeine studies are highly conflicted. What has your personal experience been? I drink coffee during every workout for several years. Been getting stronger the entire time.

  3. #3
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    Nov 2018
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    I drink cofee in the morning before work but really do not have any personal experience as I have not trained long enough or gotten strong enough to tell if it is anabolic or catabolic.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
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    809

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    Possible to be both?

    If stimulants are catabolic, would the tradeoff be that you have more energy and better focus during your lifts? Better lifts, faster progression, easier gainz.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    It's whatever the lab director wants it to be

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2019
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    666

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    If caffeine is catabolic then I'll just have to work harder under the bar, and eat and sleep as well as I can, because there's no way in hell I'm quitting coffee. Tried that once. Once. Never again. Life is too short to be miserable.

    If it's anabolic, so much the better. Either way it seems to have a net positive effect on performance in the gym, for me.

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