Energy Drinks Are Everywhere

By Stephanie Davey, MEd, ATC, PES

Energy drinks are everywhere. They're marketed to make you believe that they'll give you more of everything. Advertisements talk about giving you more energy, better focus, and an overall better life. They're sold as a "legal" performance enhancers and athletes of all calibers turn to them for that edge. The main ingredient in all energy drinks is caffeine. Caffeine is often combined with other ingredients such as taurine, guarana and B vitamins to produce that rush of energy consumers are looking for. Caffeine and guarana are on the banned lists of many athletic organizations, including the NCAA. Taurine is an amino acid that can lead to a positive drug test. Many of the most common brands also have a high amount sugar, which contributes to the that burst of energy.

While caffeine naturally occurs in coffee, it is considered a performance enhancer and is banned by organizations such as the NCAA. Per NCAA rules, athletes are not allowed to have more than 15 micrograms per milliliter of caffeine. The caffeine content widely ranges in energy drinks but one common brand has 115 mg of caffeine. For comparison, an 8-ounce cup of coffee has approximately 100 mg of caffeine. Coffee does not include the other ingredients that lead to the artificial increase in energy. Energy drinks are not closely regulated by the FDA, so it's hard to know exactly how much of each ingredient you are taking in with each drink.

There are a few side effects associated with energy drinks that can be detrimental to the consumer's health. Excessive caffeine can cause increased heart rate and blood pressure, which can increase the risks of stroke and cardiovascular disease. It can cause headaches, tremors, nausea and insomnia. It can lead to dehydration which can cause decreased performance and heat illness. Insomnia increases an athlete's risk of injury, decreases their mood and focus, and has an overall negative effect on their performance. The high sugar in energy drinks can also lead to weight gain.

Educate yourself and your athletes on healthier ways to increase their energy. Encourage them to follow a healthy well-balanced eating plan that contains a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates. Encourage them to consume at least 1 ounce of water per pound a day. Finally, stress to them that they should be getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night. If they accomplish those 3 things, they'll find that they don't need to turn to expensive energy drinks to get a performance edge.