ThisNext Blog

A while back at the gym, I used to always end up treadmilling next to a girl who sucked down a monster-sized cup of coffee while working out, which I always found slightly odd - who wants to guzzle coffee when she’s all hot and sweaty? But it turns out my fellow gym-goer may have been onto something: According to That’s Fit, a new study from the University of Georgia “suggests that caffeine may be the key to reducing the muscle soreness” that sometimes strikes after exercising. Although experts say that larger studies need to be conducted to confirm this report’s findings, you can still give your workout a little jolt with these possibly pain-relieving products.

The most classic caffeine source, coffee gets a very sleek makeover with the Starbucks DoubleShot. Served chilled and thus more workout-friendly than the fresh-off-the-burner stuff, the DoubleShot is “Starbucks’ version of Red Bull for coffee lovers,” says loft3. Even better, adds Aunt Beep, “unlike Red Bull, I don’t feel like the inner lining of my stomach is being destroyed.”

If you’re a tea lover rather than a coffee addict, try sipping on YamaMotoYama Original Iced Green Tea. “These packets are ground tea leaves and you simply mix the powered leaves into ice cold water and you have a seriously good alternative to Diet Coke,” explains Jason, who prefers the unsweetened version. Vaguelyweird, meanwhile, favors the sweetened variety (“it’s very good mixed into milk”) and uses YamaMotoYama when in need of “a quick fix” that can’t be had by brewing your own iced tea.

To fuel up while curbing any chocolate cravings, snack on some Shock A Lots Chocolate Coffee Beans. “These things are freakin’ awesome,” promises candyaddict. “They are like M&M’s combined with chocolate-covered coffee beans.” And the beans may even pack a bit of health benefit: In addition to offering “more caffeine than two cups of coffee,” says Glenda, Shock A Lots’ dark chocolate is “full of antioxidants.”

But food and drink aren’t the only ways to up your caffeine intake. Snapping on some Lotte Black Black Chewing Gum can give you a good buzz, says loft3. “Black Black is like a swift caffeine kick to the teeth!” he declares. “Along with a jolt of caffeine you get some vitamin B3 some oolong tea and, of course, ginseng.” Also a Black Black fan, gordon suggests that you “caffeine load w/this gum for when you need to stay awake/get fired up. It has an unusual almost licorice-y or minty taste w/some clove thrown in.” And in addition to its potentially soothing effects on tired muscles, the gum is an energizing “must for students before exams and coding geeks,” says maki.

You can even get jacked up by applying a little lip balm. Lotta Stensson turns to Spazzstick Caffeinated Lip Balm “for a mid-afternoon burst of energy,” while I personally like to keep a tube of Eco Lips Energy Lip Balm tucked away in my gym bag.