Though energy drinks have become pretty common recently, there are still many doubts and worries that people tend to have about them. This article will answer all your questions about energy drinks and if they are safe to consume before and after working out.
Are Energy Drinks Healthy?
On the whole, the simple answer would be no, as these drinks are usually packed with loads of sugar and caffeine to give the body an immediate boost of energy. Thus, having one energy drink can give your body more sugar and caffeine than you’re supposed to have in a day. This is the main reason why most energy drinks are frowned upon, and also why they shouldn’t be drunk too often as that can lead to negative side-effects in the long run.
However, there are natural energy drinks that contain sugar and caffeine in smaller quantities. Natural energy drinks derive their energy boosters from natural products such as fruits and plants. Thus, these drinks are less harmful to the body, and consuming them does not lead to insomnia or high blood pressure as with other energy drinks.
If you’d like to learn more about these energy drinks that are comparatively healthier and contain less sugar and caffeine, this article will answer all your questions regarding energy drinks and their many benefits.
Why Consume Energy Drinks Before Working Out?
To answer this question, you need to first understand the basic uses of an energy drink and what they do to your body when consumed. In a basic way, energy drinks act as an easy and quick pick-me-up for your mind and body when you need an extra boost to get through a physically or mentally exhausting activity. Another reason people consume these drinks is that they enable them to function more efficiently even if they happen to be tired or sleep-deprived.
The reason why most people who workout consume energy drinks is because it allows them to have a more intense workout as they tend to have more energy and won’t get tired soon. Thus, consuming a drink before a long run or a heavy workout at the gym can help the individual function without tiring for a longer period of time, thereby increasing the overall effectiveness of the workout.
People also consume these drinks in between intense workouts to get an energy boost. There are also some who consume the drink after the workout is over, as this gives them the energy to continue with their normal routine without getting burned out or tired. Hence, energy drinks mostly act as a quick pick-me-up when a person may tend to feel exhausted otherwise.
How Much is Too Much?
We now come to the most important part of this article, how many energy drinks can you consume before it becomes unsafe? This answer is mostly based on the type of energy drink you consume. If you stick to natural energy drinks that contain little to no added sugars and caffeine, consuming them on a daily basis poses no big threat to your body as a whole.
Additionally, even regular energy drinks that contain less sugar and caffeine are not entirely harmful to the body as long as they are ingested in limited quantities, typically once a day. However, some energy drinks contain an excess of sugar and caffeine in order to increase the effects of the drink and make it stronger. It is advisable to not consume these drinks on a daily basis as they can lead to an excessive intake of sugar and caffeine.
