2 Tips for Post-Workout Pain Relief... Without Drugs!

Want to decrease the level of muscle pain you experience after your workouts without using painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil)? Besides the fact that these and pretty much all painkilling drugs can have seriously bad side-effects, there's also evidence that they can lower the benefits you get from your workouts (including blunting the muscle-building effects of weight training).

So how do we minimize post-workout muscle soreness without the use of drugs? Here are two methods you might want to try:

Caffeine -- A recent study from the University of Georgia showed that taking caffeine (the equivalent of about two cups of coffee) can significantly cut post-workout muscle pain in many people, especially those who rarely drink caffeinated beverages. The results showed that caffeine can reduce pain by almost half and was more effective than most common pain relievers.

Since caffeine is also a great energy booster and performance enhancer -- as well as an effective fat-burner -- you might want to think about taking it before your workouts. Just remember that caffeine also can have some negative side-effects. And, if you do choose to boost your caffeine intake for its fitness-related benefits, be sure to avoid all caffeinated products on the days you don't workout. That way you'll give your body a "rest" from the stimulating effects of the drug and get better results when you use it.

Ribose -- Evidence shows that taking the simple sugar ribose can reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness as well as prevent cramping during workouts. Taking just 3 - 5 grams of ribose dissolved in a glass of water before exercising can make a big difference in how you feel in the hours and days afterward.

Pure ribose can be found in most supplement stores and is recommended by several fitness experts and personal trainers. It's a great natural pain-relieving alternative for anyone who wants to avoid synthetic drugs and who don't like (or don't tolerate) taking caffeine supplements.

Tags: muscle soreness, pain, painkiller, DOMS, caffeine, ribose, aspirin, ibuprofen, exercise