Mate to boost your workout routine?

Running, cycling, weight training, yoga, or padel with friends… When you exercise, you’re often looking for that little boost to help you stay motivated. What if you tried something other than coffee and energy drinks?

Yerba mate comes from South America and is traditionally consumed as an infusion. Naturally caffeinated, it also contains polyphenols that have piqued researchers’ interest. Alertness, endurance, metabolism… its potential effects are the subject of numerous studies.

So, what are the 5 benefits of mate for athletes? Let’s take a look, without making any miracle promises and with a healthy dose of curiosity!

1. ⚡ Boost alertness and concentration

You know the feeling: you’ve laced up your sneakers and your playlist is ready… but your brain hasn’t quite joined the session yet.

Mate naturally contains caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant. It can improve alertness, attention, and feelings of wakefulness. It can also reduce the perception of fatigue, which is why it is studied in sports.

For athletes, staying focused can be particularly useful during a bike ride, a technical training session, or a workout that requires sustained attention.

One more thing: caffeine doesn’t affect everyone in the same way. Individual sensitivity, consumption habits, and sleep influence its effects. Drinking it late in the day, in particular, can disrupt sleep.

2. 🏃 Support endurance performance

A long run, an endless cycling session, or a hike with significant elevation gain: endurance is also the ability to sustain effort over time.

Caffeine is one of the most studied substances in sports nutrition. Several scientific studies suggest that it can improve certain endurance performances, particularly by reducing the perception of effort in some people.

Mate is therefore worth exploring for athletes interested in naturally caffeinated drinks. However, its effects depend on the amount of caffeine consumed, the individual, and the type of exercise. The results observed in caffeine studies do not guarantee improved performance for everyone.

And let’s not forget the most important thing: no stimulant can replace progressive training, a balanced diet, and quality sleep.

3. 🌿 Provide polyphenols with antioxidant properties

Mate is more than just caffeine. It also contains polyphenols, particularly chlorogenic acids, which are studied for their antioxidant properties.

Why do athletes care? Physical exercise puts stress on the body and can temporarily increase the production of reactive molecules. The body has its own defense mechanisms, which include various antioxidant compounds.

Mate polyphenols have shown antioxidant activity in laboratory studies. This contributes to the scientific interest in the plant.

However, caution is necessary: antioxidant activity observed in a laboratory does not automatically prove improved muscle recovery or reduced muscle soreness in athletes.

Key takeaway: mate provides interesting plant compounds, but it is no substitute for a varied diet rich in fruit, vegetables, and other sources of nutrients.

4. 🔥 Contribute to research on energy metabolism

When we talk about sports, we often think about the energy expended during exercise and how the body uses its reserves.

Caffeine is studied for its effects on metabolism and the use of energy substrates. Mate, meanwhile, is the subject of research on various metabolic parameters, particularly glucose regulation and certain markers related to body composition.

Some studies have reported encouraging results, but the evidence remains mixed. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2025 on mate and metabolic health, in particular, found results that do not allow for a conclusion about a significant and consistent effect on weight or waist circumference.

In short, mate can be part of an active routine, but it doesn’t magically melt away the pounds.

To make progress, it’s best to stick to the winning trio: regular physical activity, a diet suited to your needs, and adequate recovery.

5. 💚 Explore potential effects on inflammation

After an intense workout, the body triggers natural mechanisms in response to exercise. Inflammation is part of these physiological processes, although excessive or prolonged inflammation can cause problems.

Certain compounds in mate, particularly its polyphenols, are studied for their potential anti-inflammatory properties. Laboratory and animal studies suggest that they could influence certain mechanisms involved in the inflammatory response.

This is an interesting area of research, but clinical data in humans remain limited. It is therefore not established that drinking mate reduces post-exercise pain or speeds up muscle repair.

To recover properly, the fundamentals remain the same: sleep, hydration, adequate nutrition, and adjusting training load.

Some practical tips for athletes:

• Before a workout: consider your sensitivity to caffeine and avoid drinking it late if it disrupts your sleep.

• During exercise: choose hydration suited to the duration, intensity, and heat. For a long or very sweaty workout, your needs may include electrolytes and specific energy intake.

• After exercise: remember to drink enough and eat to support your recovery. A mate drink is no substitute for a balanced meal.

• If you are sensitive to carbonation: save fizzy drinks for before or after an intense workout to avoid potential digestive discomfort.

🏁 So, should you drink mate when you exercise?

Mate has several advantages: it naturally contains caffeine, provides polyphenols, and is the subject of research into its potential effects on endurance and metabolism.

The evidence is stronger for certain effects of caffeine on alertness and performance than for mate’s specific benefits for recovery, weight, or inflammation. Results also vary depending on the individual and the conditions of use.

The most important thing is to build a sports routine that works for you: exercise regularly, eat enough, get enough sleep, and stay properly hydrated.

And if you want to discover mate in a different way, Matesol invites you to try its organic, lemon-flavored, sparkling version. You don’t need to be training for a marathon to enjoy a break from coffee! 🌿

🔬 Scientific sources

1. Guest N. S. et al. (2021). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18, 1.
   https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4

2. José M. F. et al. (2023). Physiological effects of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis): a systematic review. Nutrition Reviews, 81(9), 1163–1179.
   https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuac109

3. Li D. et al. (2025). Yerba Mate and its impact on glycemic control and metabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 16, 1641592.
   https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2025.1641592

4. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance — Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
   https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/