Drinking coffee before high-intensity exercise can reduce muscle pain, says a study of 24 college-age men. In one test, participants took a caffeine pill an hour before 30 minutes of intense cycling; on another occasion, they received a placebo. The men’s perception of pain was lower on days when they took the caffeine, regardless of whether they were regular coffee drinkers or not. The amount of caffeine the participants took (5 milligrams per kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of body weight) was equal to 2½ to 3 cups of coffee—the average amount that Americans drink daily.
Source: International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, April 2009