When you think about how you feel after drinking a cup of coffee, an increase in alertness is probably the first thing that comes to mind. And while that caffeine-induced energy boost makes a strong case for drinking coffee before you exercise, there’s also some evidence to suggest that coffee after a workout can offer benefits, too, particularly when it comes to your recovery. 

Read on for more, including how much coffee may be ideal after a workout and when to best time your cup of joe.

Benefits of Drinking Coffee After a Workout

More research about post-workout coffee is needed, but the studies we do have suggest there can be benefits to drinking a cup of coffee after you’ve finished a workout. Namely, those advantages include faster recovery and aided muscle soreness. 

Here’s what to know about each potential benefit or drinking coffee after a workout.

Improved Recovery

“There is a body of research suggesting that when caffeine is combined with carbohydrate intake, specifically, it can be beneficial for replenishing muscle glycogen levels and aiding a faster recovery,” says Lena Bakovic, RDN, a registered dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching. 

In a small 2021 study of male endurance athletes, researchers found that participants who drank coffee and sweetened milk after an exhaustive indoor cycling workout experienced greater muscle glycogen recovery in the post-exercise period. That means muscles could more effectively replenish their carbohydrate stores, which is key, since that glycogen is what fuels your muscles. It’s hard to say for sure exactly why this happens, but researchers theorized that the combination of caffeine (in the coffee drink) and milk (a carbohydrate) were behind this beneficial effect.

Reduced Muscle Soreness

In addition to aiding muscle glycogen recovery, a post-workout coffee might also help prevent different kinds of exercise-related aches and pains. “[Coffee after exercise] can also be helpful in alleviating muscle soreness and reducing fatigue after a workout,” Bakovic adds. Some research has suggested caffeine supplementation could improve post-workout muscle soreness as well as skeletal muscle pain—but larger and more recent research is needed.

Drawbacks of Drinking Coffee After a Workout 

Drinking too much caffeine at any point in the day can have downsides worth considering, Bakovic notes, so you’ll want to be mindful not to overdo it after exercising. “Drinking coffee immediately after a workout may actually hinder hydration, especially if it is consumed in excess,” she says. 

Some people can also experience negative side effects from caffeine, such as jitteriness, a rapid heart beat, or an upset stomach, she adds, which may be uncomfortable to deal with while you’re also recovering from your workout.

Debating whether to have that cup of coffee before or after a workout? Some evidence suggests a pre-workout coffee can be beneficial too. “Caffeine increases energy and can therefore improve exercise performance,” says Gabbi Berkow, RD, a registered dietitian and exercise physiologist. So if you’re looking for enhanced alertness and boosted feelings of energy, drinking coffee before your workout might be a better bet.

How Long After Exercise Should You Wait to Drink Coffee?

“I would recommend waiting 30–60 minutes post-exercise before having a cup of coffee,” Bakovic says. “This will allow our bodies a sufficient amount of time to begin rehydrating and re-settling.”

But coffee shouldn’t be the first beverage you reach for after a workout, experts say. That should always be H2O: “I would suggest focusing primarily on water intake,” Bakovic says. 

Although the ideal amount of water to drink each day varies from person to person, a good expert-recommended goal is to aim for is about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men and 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) for women, though you might need a little more if you’ve been working out intensely and sweating. 

How Much Coffee Should You Drink After a Workout?

For most people, “one to two cups of coffee is a reasonable amount to drink post-workout,” Bakovic says. One to two 8-ounce cups delivers about 100–200 milligrams of caffeine. To put that in context, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) says consuming up to 400 milligrams a day is a safe upper limit for most adults. 

“Having said that, it’s also important to keep your total daily caffeine intake in mind,” Bakovic adds. You can also consume caffeine by drinking soda, tea, energy drinks, or even chocolate, so depending on what you’ve already had that day, one to two cups after a workout might be too many.

More Tips for Post-Workout Coffee Consumption

Before you reach for that post-workout coffee, keep these tips in mind: 

The Takeaway

Drinking coffee either before or after a workout can offer benefits. Before a workout, coffee might help you feel more energetic and alert, but a cup of joe after exercise could support your recovery and even ease muscle soreness, some research suggests. Whenever you choose to drink it, just consider the overall amount of caffeine you’re consuming in a day—up to 400 milligrams is a safe upper limit for most adults, according to the FDA—and avoid coffee too close to bedtime to prevent it from impacting your sleep.