Unless you’ve been sleeping in a cave for the last decade, you surely know what energy drinks are, and most importantly, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the adverse claims and opinions regarding them. They are a topic of controversy that has been the center of a great debate for quite some time now.
Well, if coffee isn’t as effective as it used to be, and if you’re looking for something that can boost your energy and improve your performance during your training session, it’s time to consider switching to energy drinks.
Do not let the bad press that the energy drink industry is receiving fool you into thinking that consuming one of these beverages would send you to the grave.
Energy drinks do actually have a multitude of benefits, many of which you probably didn’t know about, so we’re here to break them for you.
If you thought that the only advantage of an energy drink is the energy boost it provides, think again.
1. Energy Drinks Provide More Energy (Duh!)
The first benefit that you get out of gulping down a can of your favorite energy drink is the energy boost it provides.
Not only do these beverages stimulate alertness and wakefulness, but they also help your cells perform better by activating a “fight or flight” state throughout the body, which increases muscle contraction, blood flow, and oxygen supply in the brain, thus improving your performance and boosting your overall energy.
So, whether you’re trying to stay awake for your afternoon meetings or prepare for your training sessions, you cannot go wrong with a can of sugar-free Monster.
Table could not be displayed.2. Standardized Caffeine Intake
When you’re sipping a cup of coffee or tea, you can’t determine how much caffeine you’re consuming accurately. Energy drinks, on the other hand, provide a standardized, precise dose of caffeine in every can, which is around 160 milligrams per 16 ounces.
Using that information, you can determine how many cans you need to chug according to your goal, size, and health state. Talk about medical precision, huh?
3. Energy Drinks Provide a Fast Delivery Results
Have you ever filled a cup of coffee and said to yourself “I’mma chug down this cup in one gulp!”? No? Neither did any of us.
The problem with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and similar caffeine sources is that they are served warm, which makes them inconvenient for those seeking a fast energy boost, such as gym rats before hitting the iron, or workers before starting their meetings.
Energy drinks, on the other hand, are usually served cold and carbonated, making them suitable for immediate consumption, something that would help caffeine get faster to your calls.
4. Faster Recovery
Thanks to the caffeine and carbs available in every energy drink can; you’re bound to get a quicker recovery after exercise.
Energy drinks can be beneficial for your workouts whether you consume them before or after training, How? Glad you asked.
If you consume your energy drink before working out, you’ll get an endurance boost in your upper body muscles, as proven by a 2015 study. If you consume your beverage after training, you’ll be able to cool off and recover faster. If that’s not convenient, we don’t know what is.
5. They Come in Different Flavors
Did you check our catalog of flavors? If you haven’t, you should.
In the energy drinks industry, there is a flavor for every taste, which makes the selection so broad that you won’t be able to make a decision!
6. They Come in Healthy Options
What scares people the most about energy drink is the fact that they contain a lot of simple sugars and carbs, which makes them an unsuitable choice for sedentary people and those following specific diets.
If you want to enjoy the caffeine boost of energy drinks without filing your body with calories, you can do so by opting for sugar-free energy drinks, such as:
Table could not be displayed.7. They Can Improve Your Mood, Concentration, and Memory
Besides boosting your performance and activity, energy drinks can stimulate your concentration and memory and improve your mood.
A 2012 study done on 36 healthy volunteers showed a significant improvement in memory, ability to concentrate, and secondary memory, which includes delayed pictures and word recognition, upon the consumption of one energy drink can.
As for the mood improvement, it’s mainly related to how grumpy one would be when being tired. The same study mentioned above proved that consuming an energy drink can improve your mood, well-being, and quality of life.
Next time you feel like punching someone in the face, try gulping down a can of your favorite energy drink, and you’ll surely get better.
And to add the cherry on top, you’ll be glad to hear that energy drinks have been proven to improve reaction time during driving, resulting in safer road trips, all thanks to the caffeine, vitamins, glucose, and taurine they contain
8. Carbs Equal Energy
An athlete’s performance depends on his/her energy level, and when it comes to energy, it’s all about calories.
Calories are what your body uses for fuel, and while they may come from any micronutrient, the primary fast-digesting source for them is carbs.
As mentioned above, energy drinks contain a considerate amount of carbs, making them one of the best sources for calories, and therefore, energy.
9. A Dose of Electrolytes
Sweat is an inseparable part of working out, and when you sweat, not only do you release water, but you also lose electrolytes, something that you should recover in a short manner if you don’t want to enter a state of dehydration. Thankfully, that can be achieved with energy drinks!
10. Healthy Ingredients
Energy drinks are a mojo of ingredients. While caffeine and sugar are the most known ones, several other substances are included in the mix to provide you with countless health benefits.
These healthy ingredients include, but are not limited to, taurine, which is an amino acid that regulates muscle contraction, vitamins, and ginseng, which is a plant extract that can reduce blood pressure and help with the growth of red blood cells.
