Caffeine Cuts Workout Pain

Coffee before biking? You may have to stop on the side of the road sooner, but new research suggests that caffeine can help you get more bang from your workout buck, because it keeps you from feeling the burn.

Competitive cyclists and other athletes often consume caffeine before a competition, presumably because they feel like the buzz helps them push a little bit harder. But a study published in the April issue of the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Medicine suggests that the reason caffeine allows athletes to push themselves farther is because it makes exercise hurt that much less.

Researchers had 25 subjects engage in two bouts of high intensity cycling. Before each session, they gave every subject a pill. One time, the pill contained the equivalent of two or three cups of coffee. The other time it was just a placebo. The participants all said they felt less pain in their leg muscles during the caffeine-assisted workout than they did with the sugar pill. And it even worked for subjects who already chug a couple thermoses of joe a day. So, the barista can help your biking. Java can boost your jogging. And, of course, enjoy those lattes before your Pilates.

咖啡因能减少锻炼中的疼痛

骑自行车锻炼前喝一些咖啡吗？你或许一会儿就要在路边停下来休息，不过新的研究说锻炼前所喝的咖啡“物超所值”，这是因为这些咖啡中的咖啡因让你感受不到肌肉的酸痛感。

竞技类自行车手以及其他运动员经常在比赛前饮用一些咖啡，可能是他们感到咖啡因带来的兴奋能帮助他们在比赛中更加“拼命”。但是发表在4月份的《运动营养以及锻炼医学国际期刊》（International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Medicine）上的一项研究说，咖啡因能让运动员中更进一步“拼命”的原因在于它使锻炼中的疼痛减少很多。
 
研究者们让25名实验参与者参加两轮高强度的自行车活动。在每此运动前，他们给这些参与者吃一片药丸。在其中的一次测试中，这种药丸相当于2杯或者3咖啡。另外一次测试中，这种药丸仅仅是安慰剂。与运动前仅仅吃安慰剂相比，实验参与者们都说在有咖啡因帮助的锻炼中，他们感到腿部肌肉的疼痛要轻一些。对于那些已经饮用了几杯热咖啡的参与者来说，这也能起到减轻运动中疼痛的作用。所以，咖啡吧的侍者有助于你的自行车锻炼（注：实际指所喝的咖啡）。咖啡也能有助于你慢跑。当然了，在你参加普拉提健身之前，好好享受你的“拿铁”咖啡吧。

Vocabulary:

Caffeine: 咖啡因
Workout: 锻炼
Bang: 爆炸；砰的声音
Buck: 美元
Burn: （体育锻炼后肌肉的）酸痛感
Competitive: 竞争的
Cyclist: 自行车手
Athlete: 运动员
Consume: 消费
Buzz: 兴奋
Bout: 一场； 一阵
Session: 一节
Equivalent: 等量的
Placebo: 安慰剂
Participant: 参与者
Chug: 一饮而尽
Barista: （送以及调制咖啡的）侍者
Thermos: 暖瓶；复数为thermoses
Joe: （俚语）咖啡
Java：（俚语）咖啡
Boost: 提高；增强
Latte: 热奶沫咖啡(该词来自意大利语)

注释：

1）bang for the buck 也可作 bang for your buck，这个美国习惯用语的意思是“花钱很合算”。比如This restaurant offers people the most bang for the buck. 这个餐馆提供顾客最实惠的服务。

2）Pilates是一种运动健身体系，音译为普拉提。由德裔美国人约瑟夫·普拉提（Joseph Pilates）创立，它的训练目的是通过改变人体肌肉功能从而改善人体脊柱腰椎等的功能。该运动健身法讲究充分应用呼吸和冥想。