Energy Drinks… Are They Providing the Energy you Really Need?
Adequate sleep, hydration and nutrition are a much better way
Red Bull, BANG, Monster, Reign, Rockstar…Likely you have seen them packed on the shelves in grocery and convenience stores. These products have become part of a multi-billion dollar industry, and they are highly popular among adolescents of middle school and high school age.
With vibrant colors and marketing slogans that claim to “increase alertness” and “improve sports performance,” it is easy to see why these are appealing to this population.
A survey of adolescents 12–15 found that the main reasons these drinks were consumed was to decrease fatigue and perform better in sports. This article is not intended to bash these products. In fact, I am guilty of drinking them myself on occasion. However, these products are not the best choices when it comes to young athletes’ health and performance recovery.
At Performance Course, we always emphasize the importance of recovery to our athletes. Sleep and proper nutrition/hydration are two of the most important recovery modalities. Many research studies show that less than 8 hours of sleep for adolescent athletes is the single strongest predictor for injury in sports.
These beverages can impact adolescents’ athletic recovery and performance in several different ways. First, is the nutritional value in energy drinks. Sure, caffeine is a known ergogenic aid. This is just a fancy way of saying that the effects caffeine have on the body can help enhance sports performance. However, most of these drinks contain way more than the researched amount of what shows to be effective in competition.
These drinks also have several additives in them that show to have no impact on physical performance. The worst item that most of the products contain, is an abundance of sugar. The large amount of sugar causes a spike in blood glucose levels. For most athletes, these levels start to fall within 20 minutes which can cause problems with focus and fatigue.
Excess sugar leads to increased protein breakdown and is also converted and stored as fat. This is one of the reasons these types of products have been linked to the rise of obesity among kids. Below is the image of a food label for one of these products that contains twice the amount of recommended daily added sugar for a teenager.
The caffeine in these beverages can provide a quick boost of energy, but what is the likely reason that a teenage athlete would feel fatigued in the first place? In most cases, the answer is lack of sleep.
Steady consumption of energy drinks in 13–19 year olds has been linked to cardiovascular issues, hallucinations, and insomnia. Caffeine can cause a disruption in the sleep cycle by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain. Thus, tricking the body into thinking it is no longer tired.
A good eight to ten hours of sleep per night for these adolescent athletes is going to provide a greater deal of energy than any drink will be able to.
There are so many other great options for quick, healthy snacks that can provide young athletes with the energy they need. Some ideas include protein or granola bars, string cheese, hard boiled eggs with fruit, and peanut butter toast. Homemade, no bake, energy balls are also a good option for a quick on- the-go snack.
Fueling the body with appropriate nutrition is vital for athletes of all ages. Although they may not be as convenient as a quick can off the shelf, these examples above have a much better overall nutritional value. While these drinks may provide a minimal “pick-me-up,” they are in no way replenishing the body with the fuel it needs.
Give your body what it really needs to keep going; sleep, nutrition, hydration.
