Does coffee really give you pep?

As part of their morning ritual, so many people down a cup or ten of coffee to help wake up. The same is often true of people who have some java before they workout, hoping that it will 'amp' up their intensity -- if not their desire to do it in the first place. Best I can tell, the jury is still out on whether caffeine is 1) good for you, and 2) helpful in any way with respect to giving you some extra pep.

More or less, the pick-me-up you get from caffeine is a result of an increased heart rate. So, right of the bat, it may not be the best thing to be drinking before you go into the gym (where your heart rate will be increasing anyway). That being said, a little caffeine does not seem to cause safety thresholds of any kind to be crossed, so maybe it's not so bad after all. But, what about how much pep it actually gives you?

It's actually kind of funny, but about two weeks ago I stumbled upon a news story on coffee. Apparently, a study was conducted on the effects of caffeine, revealing that it does not lead to any increase in vitality whatsoever. In fact, the researchers claimed that the feeling of steadiness and alertness people experience after having their morning cup of coffee is nothing more than satiating the demands of an eight hour caffeine withdrawal. Insofar as how much pep caffeine gives you during a workout, a University of Nebraska study found that exercisers drinking decaf coffee daily experienced the same fitness gains as those drinking regular coffee. I've come across so much information about the effects of caffeine and as it relates to health, but still I am yet to be convinced of its benefits or its detriments. I'd be interested to hear what you guys think about this one.