How Much Energy Do You Really Need?!
I should probably rephrase that. How much sugar and artificial energy are looking to ingest into your system everyday?
It seems everywhere we turn there is another vendor promoting the next greatest energy drink to give you that quick burst you crave. And since most of these drinks aren’t government regulated, they pretty much have carte blanche when it comes to marketing their product’s “superhuman” benefits.
So the big question is do they work?
Absolutely! Then again, what benefit are looking to get out of them? Hydration, a caffeine kick, or maybe a sugar rush?
Most energy drinks work by re-hydrating your body and a few even effectively replenish electrolytes and glycogen stores, or provide ready-to-use glucose for your body. The bad news is that just replenishing lost fluids isn’t exciting enough any more in the energy drink world. To keep up with consumers’ “healthy mindsets” companies are looking to spice their products up with herbs, b-vitamins, caffeine, and of course a heap of sugar to make it taste better.
While many herbs and a range of b-vitamins have been shown to improve certain aspects of alertness and vigor, most “get-up-and-go” drinks have so few of those vitamins and herbs that there would be little, if any, noticeable effect. The effects you do feel come from an infusion of sugar and caffeine. More than likely if you are craving this type of pick-me-up your blood sugar is low and therefore a sudden rush of glucose will make you feel lively again.
Here’s a sampling of some of the most popular energy drinks on the market and their corresponding amounts of sugar per bottle:
Vitamin Water – 32g
Gatorade – 35g
Sobe Energy – 31g
Propel – 6g
Life Water – 32g
Red Bull – 28g
Rock Star – 37g
Do you really need that much sugar?
Consuming an energy drink after sweating from a good workout may make sense, but drinking them throughout the day will only have you riding a roller coaster of highs and lows from constant spikes in blood sugar levels and adrenaline. The long-term consequences can leave you fatigued, run-down, and possibly a few pounds heavier. Plus, mixing certain herbs and vitamins may not be the smartest idea in the long run.
What does this all mean if you’re looking to lose weight, but keep your energy levels up?
You need the energy, but could do without all that sugar right? Unless you’re sweating profusely you do not require high amounts of sugar or electrolyte replenishment. Your best bet is to stick with all-natural water. It came before all of these other energy drinks and will be here after they have all run their course.
If you don’t like drinking water or would like a little more taste in your beverage, try adding some fresh lemon or lime to it. If you can’t pass up your urge to splurge on a flavorful energy drink, go with one of your lower calorie options with as few additives as possible. Another option is to dilute 100% grapefruit or cranberry juice with water, or have a piece of fruit.
As a final note, remember to keep your protein up throughout the day. You don’t need to be shoveling tuna and chicken breast down your throat, but a small serving at each meal or snack will help to keep your blood sugar and energy levels steady throughout the day.
Just remember that 33grams of sugar from energy drinks are wasted calories that will be stored as fat if you aren’t go to be exercising after drinking them. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather take those 132 calories and spend them on a food I can eat and enjoy.
As always, it’s all about manageable lifestyle changes so if you are currently consuming 2-3 energy drinks per day, you may want to cut back and add in more H2O instead. You can eventually reduce consumption to one per day and take a sip from it when needed as a supplement to the bottle of water you are carrying with you.
Drink Well!
Committed to your success,
Stephen Cabral, CSCS, CPT, NS
Stephen Cabral is a national health correspondent with over 10 years of credentials. He holds national and international certifications in strength & conditioning, personal training, yoga and nutrition.
Steve's column, Trim, Tone & Tighten Thursdays, published every Thursday to Gather Essentials: Health
Trim, Tone & Tighten Thursdays gives you an all access pass to an array of health & fitness information that you can't find anywhere else. It would take you hours each day to read and sift through the massive amounts of information (and advertising) in the health related fields to actually get any worthwhile information. Lucky for you, I do that everyday and I am more than willing to share my findings after the information has been verified to be true.
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Comments: 15
I think this explains why many people have such bad breath, while drinking this stuff.
There are often 120 - 300mg of caffeine per bottle which can lead to energy crashes, insomnia, anxiety, depression, upset stomach, headaches, and a host of other ailments.
The sugar free variety also use artificial sweeteners (aspartame, etc.)
My advice is to use them only when necessary...
Unless you are an athlete or someone who really grinds it out at the gym, there's little need to worry about electrolyte replenishment through a specific beverage.
Are supplements valid? Yes, but you should always know why you're taking them and what's in the specific product.
Be as informed as you can be and then make the right decision for you.
Thanks for the info.
A great post-workout drink is good old-fashioned milk - it has some protein, carbs, calcium and no caffeine or additives. I never bought into the hype of energy drinks, and the basics (water and milk) are better for your health in the long run.
Great advice and information!