1. Don’t drink after a workout

Drinking coffee after working out is a big mistake as it hinders recovery. During this period, cortisol caused by training stress is released and the body goes into a catabolic state (this is normal!).

At the same time testosterone is produced, and it is in your best interest to improve the testosterone/cortisol ratio. As soon as you finish the last repetition, immediately take measures to reduce cortisol. For example, this is why post-workout eating is so important: eating helps you switch from catabolism to anabolism. Coffee, on the other hand, is the opposite.

We drink coffee in the morning (when we can’t wake up), and the adrenal glands produce cortisol. It’s also a stimulating hormone, not just catabolic. When stressed, cortisol is our friend, putting the psyche into a fight-or-flight state. At the same time, however, there is a breakdown of protein for energy. Which is not bad before a deadlift, but will worsen recovery after the workout, as you will be in a catabolic state for longer.

2. Know the measure.

Coffee is a double-edged sword. When you drink it to set a new record or to burn off that last gram of fat, you’re using it for good. But if you’re forced to regularly slam down a cup of coffee throughout the day because you can’t do anything without it, that’s trouble.

Too much and too often is addictive, and you just don’t have enough energy without coffee. That means it’s time to quit.

You can also take herbs to support the adrenal glands; caffeine makes them overwork and deprives the body of important nutrients. Try rhodiola rosea for example, this herb helps the body cope with stress and your daily dose of coffee.

3. Follow a regimen

And no one wants to be sleep deprived: one survey showed that almost half of all Americans don’t get enough sleep. Massive caffeagolism might have something to do with it.

Much is determined by genetics; the CYP1A2 enzyme, in particular, plays a key role in caffeine metabolism. If you have this enzyme very active, you’re in luck: you can have a cup at dinner and forget to go to sleep in half an hour. Those whose metabolism is very slow will have a sip in the morning, be irritable all day and find it hard to fall asleep in the evening.

If you have a slow metabolism and a high sensitivity to caffeine, finish by midday. But even if it’s fast, it’s best not to drink after 3pm. Coffee increases cortisol anyway, and when the sun starts to go down, so should cortisol levels. With less light, the body gets the signal that it’s time to curtail cortisol production and unleash the melatonin production that we need for sound sleep and full recovery.