The conventional image we have of energy drinks is that they come in bottles or cans. But they actually can come in powder form as well.
Energy powders are more associated with pre-workout supplements. However, energy drinks also have powdered versions with varying caffeine and vitamin contents.
In fact, energy powders pretty much have the same ingredients as a standard canned version of an energy drink, so they aren’t more harmful than energy drinks.
The first thing you may think is that energy powders are much more hassle than energy drink cans and bottles since you can easily just open and then drink them. But powders do come with a few more advantages such as longer shelf life, convenience, and more dosage control.
In this article, I’ll be taking a closer look at energy powders’ contents and effects. I’ll even tell you about my absolute favorite powdered energy drink!
Let’s take a deep dive!
Are Powdered Energy Drinks Healthy?
While energy drinks aren’t really healthy in general, they can benefit your diet with the appropriate contents. The same thing goes for energy powders.
Here are other ingredients in a powdered energy drink that could help improve your performance.
| Ingredients | Functions |
| Taurine | This helps with brain and heart support. It can additionally lower your blood pressure and calm your nervous system. |
| Vitamin B | This group of vitamins directly impacts your energy levels, brain function, and cell metabolism. |
| Vitamin C | This helps protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. |
| Vitamin E | This vitamin is known for its positive benefits to your sight, skin, and brain. |
In addition, there has been a claim that undissolved powder in drinks sticks to your blood. This is false. When you swallow a portion of food or beverage, it goes to your esophagus, stomach, and then to your small intestine.
This small intestine is responsible for taking out every nutrient it can get. Afterward, the nutrients are then distributed to your bloodstream.
There’s no way an undissolved powder would stick to your blood except if it’s put into your bloodstream directly by an IV (intravenous medicine).
Although powdered energy drinks are safe, they can still cause some problems. For example, consuming the powder without diluting it can cause hard stools.
This is why you have to take enough water with your energy drink. But be careful, consuming too much water can also cause hard stools.
I suggest you follow the recommended water level to mix your energy powders.
Does Drinking Powdered Drinks Count as Drinking Water?
Well, powdered energy drinks need to be dissolved in water, so they can contribute a bit to your water intake of 2 to 3 liters per day.
However, WHO gave specifics regarding water intake requirements. According to the WHO, a woman should have 2.7 liters of water and men need 3.7 liters every day.
You should follow this even if you aren’t that busy. And if you are engaging in extreme activities such as sports, you might add a little more to replenish or exchange the fluids you’ve lost.
To monitor your water consumption, you can count and measure the beverages you’re taking daily. This can help you make sure you’re meeting the daily requirements for water every day.
Is Consuming One Serving of Energy Drink a Day Harmful for You?
Nope, energy drinks are a good source of extra energy primarily because it has caffeine. Furthermore, it can also help your cognitive function.
However, there’s only a safe level of caffeine you should allow your body to take. According to the FDA, it’s safe to take up to 400mg of caffeine only. Going above this level could increase your chance of suffering side effects related to caffeine.
In fact, some adults can already feel some of its symptoms with 300mg of caffeine only. If you happen to have a low tolerance for caffeine, here are the possible side effects you might encounter.
- Headaches
- Jitters
- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Fever
- Palpitation
To be safe, I guess it’s safe to take only energy drinks with a lower amount of caffeine. The good thing about powdered energy drinks is that you can adjust the caffeine levels by decreasing the powder or adding more water.
Let’s hear what science says to answer the question “are energy drinks bad?” once and for all.
When Should You Drink Energy Drinks?
According to this study, you should drink energy drinks before a workout for improved endurance. You wouldn’t feel the boost right away because it would still take 30 minutes for an energy drink to boost your energy. And this is true for both powder and canned versions.
It would be best to take a proper meal before taking your energy drink to avoid stomach aches. This study claims that it’s still beneficial to your body whether you take it before or after your workout for hydration purposes.
But for me, I think taking it before working out is much safer and appropriate. However, if an energy drink has electrolytes that could replenish and revitalize you, I don’t see any problem with taking it after a workout.
How Do Energy Drinks Impact your Body?
There are many ways for an energy drink to have an impact on your body. It’s a given that it could increase your energy and mental capacity. But aside from that, it could also affect your sleep, negatively or positively, and that’s up to you.
If you take an energy drink near your sleeping time, you would likely have insomnia. On the other hand, as powdered energy drinks are contained in scoops, it’s very easy for you to take more than the recommended scoop.
Or, in cases of powdered energy drinks in sachets, you can easily add another one. While it can help you with your water intake, it can also lead to overconsuming caffeine.
That’s why remember to look at its contents, and you’re good to go.
Energy Powders Recommendation
My favorite energy drink is also a powdered one. But before I share it with you, here is some other powdered energy drink that’s also worth trying.
Zipfizz
You can rely on Zipfizz to boost your energy level. This powdered energy drink comes in a small cylinder container with 100mg of caffeine from green tea.
It also contains vitamin B12 and antioxidants. This helps boost energy to improve cognition and reduce stress. This is sugar-free that’s sweetened with sucralose and xylitol.
Moreover, it’s also great for your hydration because it’s packed with potassium and magnesium. It could also help build up your immune system, thanks to its vitamin C.
G Fuel Energy
G Fuel Energy has a canned version and a powdered one. The powdered one can give you 150mg of caffeine per scoop, and it uses no sugar.
Apart from caffeine, it uses taurine, L-tyrosine, and Vitamins B to keep you energized during your workout. You can also enjoy its taste because it’s made sweet with sucralose.
Don’t try getting two scoops per mix, especially if you have a low tolerance for caffeine. On the other hand, the canned version has 300mg of caffeine already.
If you think you need G Fuel because of your work, make sure you won’t take any caffeinated products for the rest of the day.
Celsius On-the-go
You can never go wrong with Celsius on the go. It’s a good alternative for your coffee. In addition, it has nutrients from the ginger root that could help your digestion apart from nutrients such as vitamin Bs and C.
It has no sugar content and one stick contains 200mg of caffeine, equivalent to two cups of your usual coffee. The caffeine amount of Celsius on the go sticks vs. the Celsius in the can version is just the same.
It’s a pretty energy drink for me. Therefore, I suggest dividing one stick into two servings and adding more than a half glass of water. No worries, it would still taste sweet because of an artificial sweetener called sucralose.
REIZE
REIZE is my favorite energy drink because it comes in a light 4g sachet. Moreover, it has only a reasonable 50mg of caffeine. It’s a good energy drink for exercise and studying.
Out of all the powdered energy drinks I’ve tried, REIZE is still my favorite. Its amount of caffeine gave me the freedom to take up to two mixes per day. I’m confident that I won’t get jitters and gain extra weight because it uses only a few calories.
Furthermore, I like that it uses no sugar but has vitamin B and taurine which are beneficial to your cells and muscles.
You can get REIZE for only around $1 and you can even have your orders shipped straight to your home. That’s amazing value for your money.
Other Notable Mentions
Final Thoughts
Overall, powdered energy drinks aren’t bad for you. In fact, it’s even a good choice because of its flexibility. Furthermore, it can even help you take more water for the day.
I think you should go with the energy drink with only 50-100mg of caffeine and other nutrients. However, if you have high caffeine tolerance, it’s up to you to take powdered energy drinks with higher caffeine levels.
One last warning, though, if you’re still under the age of 18 or you’re currently pregnant or lactating, skip any types of energy drinks. It’s not good for your health and the health of your baby.