The Truth About Energy Drinks
| Do energy drinks really rev up your body and sharpen your mind? And what, exactly, are they even made of? To help you separate the science from the sales pitch, we analyzed the claims and ingredients of five of the most popular potions on the market, and rated them from best to worst. All to answer the most important question of all: Are energy drinks safe-or should you can these beverages for good? |
5-Hour Energy (2 fl oz)
4 calories
0 g sugars
(Exact caffeine content not provided by the company)
The Claim: “The two-ounce energy shot takes just seconds to drink and in minutes you’re feeling bright and alert. And that feeling lasts for hours.”
The Truth: Sure, it’ll give you a jolt. That’s because it’s mainly caffeine-about the same amount that’s in one cup of coffee, according to label claims. (So somewhere between 65 to 135 mg of caffeine.) And turns out, the half-life of caffeine-the time it takes for half of the stimulant to be eliminated from your body-is about 5 hours. What’s more, the company touts that since the product doesn’t contain sugar, you won’t experience the sugar crash that comes a couple of hours after guzzling the sweet stuff. And that’s true, too. Of course, you could just grab a cup of unsweetened Joe for the same effect.
Is it safe? Downing a bottle should be no problem for a regular coffee drinker. Too much caffeine, however, could cause headaches, sleeplessness, nausea, hallucinations, and a spike in blood pressure.
The real truth is that most people are already consuming too much energy, which is why there’s an obesity problem. (Think about it.) So adding to your energy excess by guzzling a calorie- and sugar-laden drink doesn’t make a lot of sense. In fact, ask yourself this: Is it a lack of incoming sugar that’s causing you to be tired-or is it that you’re consuming too much of it in the first place? Chances are, it’s the latter. Our advice: If you feel you need a boost, reach for unsweetened beverage that contains only caffeine-like a black coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. It has zero grams of sugar, 146 mg of caffeine, and just 20 calories-all for about 2 dollars.
is that true about supplement stimulants too? I like caffine, but I cant stand coffee.
I do know that the caffeine in most supplements is a pure derivative, and so the effects are basically the same as those described above. In almost all scientific research, caffeine offers a boost to performance. Heck, even Rip suggest taking in some caffeine before a workout, but only if you’re not pounding it back all day long. You obviously won’t see the same benefit if your body has adapted to it.
It’s a recognized performance enhancer because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has put a maximum allowance on the amount of caffeine that can be found in any athletes urine!