Abstract

Christine Afable Key: 21179 9.16.08 605 Behrakis

This experiment investigates whether or not coffee affects a persons cardiovascular fitness. To study this issue, we performed a five-minute physical exercise and afterwards measured how long it took for our heart rate to return back to the resting state. By comparing results between classmates who drank coffee daily and those who did not, we were able to observe whether or not coffee affects cardiovascular fitness. My group found that it took four minutes longer for the noncoffee drinker to return to the resting heart rate than the normal coffee drinker. From the results of our experiment, we concluded that coffee does not affect a persons cardiovascular fitness. Introduction In this experiment we questioned whether coffee affects cardiovascular fitness. Cardiovascular fitness is determined by measuring a persons heart rate. Our group hypothesized that coffee does affect cardiovascular strength. We tested this hypothesis to find out if certain factors such as coffee affect cardiovascular fitness. Materials and Methods We needed a clock or stopwatch, small platform, and two risers for the platform. The class separated into groups that contained people who drank coffee on a daily basis and people who were not normal coffee drinkers. The independent variable is drinking coffee, and the non-coffee drinkers represented our control group. The dependent variable was the time required for the subjects pulse to return to the

Christine Afable Key: 21179 9.16.08 605 Behrakis resting heart rate. Each of these people were timed for five minutes in stepping up and down a small platform, with each step up or down counting as one second. Before this exercise we recorded our resting heart rate. I represented the control group, and my resting heart rate was 64 beats per 30 seconds. The coffee-drinker had a resting heart rate of 67 beats per 30 seconds. Right after the five-minute exercise, we measured our heart rate and how long it took to return to the normal resting heart rate. It took me five minutes to return back to the resting state, while the person who drank coffee took one minute to go back to the normal heart rate. Results From our class results, we found that most of the groups took longer for the control, or the non-coffee drinker, to return back to the normal resting heart rate than the person who drank coffee. There was only group in which the control group only took one minute to return back to the resting state, which was shorter than the coffee drinker in that group to return back. Coffee-drinker Resting Heart Rate (per 30 s) Time it took to return to RHR (min) 1 min 5 min 67 beats Noncoffee-drinker 64 beats

Christine Afable Key: 21179 9.16.08 605 Behrakis Team 1 2 3 4 Control (min) 5 1 4 3 Test (min) 1 3 2 1

Discussion Our overall class results suggest that coffee generally does not affect cardiovascular fitness. Although there are always exceptions and other factors could be taken into account for our results, such as obesity, nutrition, and other health concerns, our experiment data show that coffee is not a major issue in cardiovascular fitness.