Running/Cycling and Energy Drinks
- Thread starter sgronow
- Start date
I don't take them. It is my understanding that the main ingredient is caffeine, which I get from coffee. Now, I do drink a little coffee, maybe 1 cup, before an event.
Caffeine decreases your body's ability to absorb oxygen during aerobic activity, I'll pass.
If you're a coffee drinker or get caffeine through some normal manner then there's no benefit to doing it. If you're getting caffeine regularly, it has been shown to give a slight benefit.
You can buy gels such as Gu that have caffeine or even double caffeine if you like.
Personally, I don't change more normal routine. I am a coffee drinker and will drink coffee on race day if I can. I also drink wine and will typically have a glass the night before a race as well. I think that helps me sleep too.
Redbull before running or cycling? No No No! Coffee is just as bad. These types of energy drinks are not good at all to use before any type of exercise. Redbull will give you a short lasted blast of energy and like all things has a reaction of a downside. It is best to stay away from caffine based energy.
Energy drinks such as Gatorade do actually benefit you because they are not caffine based, however they do contain a lot of suger, they also give you electrolites which can aid you in endurance and recovery.
Energy drinks such as Gatorade do actually benefit you because they are not caffine based, however they do contain a lot of suger, they also give you electrolites which can aid you in endurance and recovery.
If you're doing a lot of exercise, especially aerobic, energy drinks like gatorade do actually benefit you. If you're not doing all that much exercise, or none at all, that is when the sugar levels will affect you. Water is great, but energy drinks (gatorade) as I said contain electrolites which increase indurance and it doesnt sit in your stomach like you might find water does. It also aids in recovery. Anyone exercising should definately stay away from drinks such as Redbull though...
I had less than one can of V before a run the other day and had stop about a third of my normal distance else I would have vomited. Not that it isn't delicious (and great when I have something like an exam on), it's just not great to run on and, I presume, ride on.
There are much more cost effective powders (for mixing with water) which will usually do the same things as most sports drink. You probably want to focus on electrolytes and carbohydrates for refuelling more than things like guarana and caffeine though.
There are much more cost effective powders (for mixing with water) which will usually do the same things as most sports drink. You probably want to focus on electrolytes and carbohydrates for refuelling more than things like guarana and caffeine though.
Evergy drinks are one of THE worst things you can put in your body. SO much sugar! If you must have caffeine before a race, I'd suggest some green tea or something.
Don't do it.....I had an episode where I almost blacked-out, too much of those weird stimulants (caffiene, taurine, gaurana, etc, etc)....as people say, it's a toxic soup!
The marketing leads you to think: drink this and have an explosive energy-filled workout!
Wrong....it's for executives sitting behind an office desk who want a bit of kick and like the notion that it's linked to something athletic.
Let me put it this way...in the course of my dabbling with them...a few instances I did feel like it gave me a bit of a boost and I FELT like I had good energy....but a few times the chemistry didn't work right and it made me feel sick, light-headed and just plain wrong.
Do yourself a favor...pop a multivitamin, eat some clean carbs and let your body naturally do it's thing. It may take a bit longer for your endorphins to kick-in, but your body has it's own "punch" that'll happen on it's own.
At the very most, you could dabble with some Gatorade, electrolytes and other things you add to water that just give you minerals, vitamins, electrolytes and the such....but just avoid the black-magic stimulants, please!
The marketing leads you to think: drink this and have an explosive energy-filled workout!
Wrong....it's for executives sitting behind an office desk who want a bit of kick and like the notion that it's linked to something athletic.
Let me put it this way...in the course of my dabbling with them...a few instances I did feel like it gave me a bit of a boost and I FELT like I had good energy....but a few times the chemistry didn't work right and it made me feel sick, light-headed and just plain wrong.
Do yourself a favor...pop a multivitamin, eat some clean carbs and let your body naturally do it's thing. It may take a bit longer for your endorphins to kick-in, but your body has it's own "punch" that'll happen on it's own.
At the very most, you could dabble with some Gatorade, electrolytes and other things you add to water that just give you minerals, vitamins, electrolytes and the such....but just avoid the black-magic stimulants, please!