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Top Pick Energy Drinks that Enhance Brain Function

Top Pick Energy Drinks that Enhance Brain Function

Top Recommendation: REIZE Energy!

Sometimes our brains don’t seem to be running at full capacity.

At times like these, you may want to turn to energy drinks or other supplements for a bit of a mental boost.

Some people turn to exercise to kick their brains into gear, others turn to caffeine.

Whether you go for a morning jog or feel like you need a can of energy drink to begin your day, you’re not alone in feeling like your brain could use a little help.

To cut it short, I consider Celsius, Guru, and REIZE to be the best energy drinks for your brain.

Let’s dive in and take a closer look at how energy drinks affect the brain and what are some of the best energy drinks for the brain.

Let’s get started…

Caffeine and Brain Function

Caffeine is a natural stimulant that’s also found in food like chocolates or beverages like coffee and energy drinks.

Many people are quite dependent on caffeine in order to kickstart brain functions, myself included.

According to studies, only 75mg of caffeine is needed to increase attention and alertness. More caffeine can improve memory and reasoning too. 

I know that I consume caffeine almost every day. It’s usually a coffee in the morning and a good energy drink sometime around lunch.

The US FDA recommends a caffeine consumption of no more than 400mg per day. More than that might trigger unwanted side effects.

Your caffeine tolerance also plays a part. If you have a lower tolerance, 100mg might be enough to cause you a headache, and sadly that’s not gonna help your brain function.

Sugar and Brain Function

We all know that sugar is really bad for you. In addition to weight gain and the sluggish feel we get upon a sugar crash, sugar also affects our brains negatively.

This study showed the link between a diet high in saturated fat and processed sugar (typical of the diet consumed in most Western countries) had an adverse effect on brain structure and function.

Getting dumber just by eating foods that are high in processed sugar?

Scary stuff.

Although sugar can give us a short-term energy boost, it can also cause our attention span, memory, and mood to go haywire. 

Sugar is also addictive, which is why we crave it despite not actually needing it for any bodily functions.

Sugar also has inflammatory properties that can cause brain inflammation which contributes to depression. 

But don’t worry, moderate amounts of sugar are still permissible. The recommended daily sugar intake for women is 25g (6 teaspoons) and for men is 36g (9 teaspoons). That’s the guidance from the American Heart Association.

If you lead an active lifestyle, the sugar you consume would probably be burned off through exercise. An active lifestyle also promotes good brain function, so it’s a win-win. 

This is what sugar does to your brain.

Are energy drinks good for your brain?

Yes, energy drinks can be good for your brain. 

This study by Curran et al suggests that older people may benefit more from caffeine and taurine supplementation, while adolescents may actually experience negative effects from caffeine and taurine exposure.

I guess that’s just another reason for children not to drink energy drinks.

Energy drinks are designed to give you energy, helping with alertness and other brain functions. 

With caffeine and sugar being the main ingredients, most energy drinks have added vitamins, amino acids, and herbal extracts, which are beneficial for your brain. 

It’s also worth noting that there are many sugar-free energy drinks on the market too.

This doesn’t mean that you should start chugging cans of energy drinks though. Remember too much of anything isn’t good for you.

How do energy drinks affect your brain?

The caffeine in energy drinks blocks the effects of adenosine, which means that you feel less sleepy than you otherwise would.

Caffeine also triggers neurons and engages the pituitary gland into a “fight or flight” response, which keeps you alert.

This is why if you consume an energy drink with too much caffeine, you won’t be able to get a good night’s sleep and you’ll be “on your toes” and feeling anxious.

I think that’s a good reason to choose an energy drink that contains a sensible amount of caffeine.

But it’s not only caffeine in energy drinks that affects your brain. Other ingredients also impact your brain – sugar, B vitamins, taurine, etc.

This study of 10 people found that drinking energy drinks containing caffeine and sugar increased the motor-evoked potentials versus consuming a placebo.

In other words, those who consumed energy drinks had increased brain function at the times that they were tested.

Do energy drinks affect your memory?

Energy drinks can positively affect your memory. 

In a study on rats, it was found that a combination of caffeine and taurine improves memory and attention.

Another study showed that Red Bull improved the brain stimulation of 24 participants, including their memory. 

The ingredients in energy drinks, including caffeine, taurine, and others work well together to stimulate our brains and improve memory.

Cheers to that!

Energy Drinks for Concentration

Energy drinks can improve your concentration.

If you feel yourself becoming lethargic or not operating at your best, it might be a good time to grab an energy drink for an extra boost.

According to Healthline, “energy drinks can indeed improve measures of brain function like memory, concentration and reaction time”.

To improve your concentration, try an energy drink with a moderate amount of caffeine. Too much caffeine may send you bouncing off the walls, which would be counterproductive for concentration.

I’ve previously written extensively about the best energy drinks for concentration. I recommend that you check that article out if you want to learn more because I cover things in a lot more detail than I have here.

Energy Drinks to Keep Awake

The ingredients in energy drinks can reduce fatigue, which usually occurs when you don’t have enough sleep. I know, there are days that you just have to function on no sleep, thus energy drinks can help you survive those days. 

Even though energy drinks can keep you awake, not getting enough sleep is never a good idea.

Energy drinks are not a substitute for sleep and eventually, you will need some good shut-eye if you want to be at your best.

A study published in the Journal of Safety Research showed that a combination of drinking energy drinks and also taking rest improved driving performance in professional truck drivers.

That’s good news.

I’ve also covered the topic of the best energy drinks to stay awake. Check that one out to see some of my top picks if you need to push through and stay awake.

Energy Drinks and Mental Performance

No matter how simple our daily tasks are, we want our brains to be operating at peak performance as much as possible.

Sometimes we may feel that we’re not as mentally sharp as we could be, it’s at those times that energy drinks might provide their biggest benefits.

The caffeine content in energy drinks can actually sharpen your thinking and slow down the mental decline that comes with age. 

Several studies have found positive links between energy drinks and mental performance, and it’s no secret that the most important ingredient in energy drinks that causes these benefits is caffeine.

Now let’s dive into talking about some drinks that are good for the brain.

What drinks stimulate the brain?

Coffee

Did you know that 83% of adults in the US drink coffee? Coffee is the go-to pick-me-up for millions of people every morning.

Personally, I prefer the taste of energy drinks, but coffee definitely has its place in my heart too.

Similar to energy drinks, it’s the caffeine in coffee that gives you a mental boost and makes you feel more alert.

Coffee is also a good source of antioxidants and can potentially reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.

Green tea

Green tea is not only known for its health benefits to help with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease but also good for its positive effect on brain stimulation.

It has the ability to increase attention while keeping you calm, as opposed to the way that coffee can make you feel a bit jittery at times.

L-theanine which is found in green tea allows your brain to relax yet also be attentive.

Best of all, green tea’s caffeine content is very low, thus allowing you to still get a good night’s rest if you drink some in the evening.

Yerba Mate

Yerba Mate is a South American traditional tea, which contains around 85mg of caffeine per 8 fluid ounces (250ml), which is more than the usual tea caffeine content.

We’ve already established that caffeine can help with brain function, which is why Yerba Mate is a great brain stimulator.

Does water increase brainpower?

Water does increase your brainpower. Water is vital for brain function, which shouldn’t be a surprise considering how important water is for all bodily functions.

Dehydration can cause a marked degradation in cognitive performance.

This is why staying hydrated is super important, especially after losing fluid through sweating.

Next time you feel a bit sluggish, maybe try a glass of water first before grabbing something caffeinated.

Does Red Bull improve brain functions?

Red Bull can improve your brain function. This study proved that a can of Red Bull led to significant improvements in mental performance including reaction time, concentration, and memory. 

An 8.4 fl. oz (250ml) can of Red Bull Energy Drink has 80mg of caffeine in it, which is an ideal amount to help your brain without overstimulating it.

However, Red Bull also has 27g of sugar and 110 calories per can.

This is more sugar than I would like to consume in an energy drink and there are certainly other healthier options of energy drinks out there that contain similar amounts of caffeine, taurine, and B vitamins for improved brain function.

If you do still want to drink Red Bull, maybe try Red Bull Total Zero (yes, you guessed it, zero sugar and calories).

For a brief, here’s a quick rundown of what is inside these cans.

IngredientsAmount
Caffeine80 mg
Calories110 cal
Glucuronolactone600 mg
Niacin (Vitamin B3)5.1 µg 
Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5)5.1 µg 
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)5 mg 
Cobalamin (Vitamin B12)5.1 µg
Red Bull Energy Nutrition Facts

Is it OK to drink energy drinks daily?

Yes, it’s okay to drink energy drinks on a daily basis, if you choose wisely. 

First and foremost, it’s wise to stick to a maximum of 400mg of caffeine per day, as recommended by the US FDA. That’s a safe amount, but some people may choose to limit their caffeine consumption even further.

So if you choose to drink something like Bang Energy Drink (which has 300mg of caffeine in a single can), you can probably only have just one can per day.

Also, try to choose an energy drink with little or no sugar and fewer calories. That’s a healthier choice in the long run.

Lastly, don’t mix energy drinks with alcohol. No matter how desensitized we might all be to it because of how widespread it is, it’s not a safe drink mix.

There’s plenty of evidence to back that up.

Best Energy Drinks for the Brain

Celsius Energy Drink

Celsius Energy Drink has 3 different product ranges to choose from.

Celsius “Originals” and “Naturals” contain 200mg of caffeine, while Celsius “Heat” contains a hefty 300mg, placing it among the strongest energy drinks.

Although large quantities of caffeine aren’t my cup of tea, it might be what you need. Just be mindful of your daily intake and tolerance so that it will help you with brain functions and not get you in a rut.

Guru Energy Drink

Guru Energy Drink has 100mg of caffeine derived from guarana seed and green tea leaf extract. It’s also marketed as a healthier option, with echinacea flower extract and Panax ginseng root extract. 

If you’re into a healthier option, you might want to try Guru out.

However, Guru does contain 21g of sugar, which is said to be derived from cane syrup and white grape juice concentrate. 

I’ll let you be the judge of that.

XS Energy Drink

Here’s a sugar-free option with less caffeine than the brands listed above. XS Energy Drink has 80mg of caffeine in an 8.4 fl. oz can.

I like XS for its moderate caffeine, which I consider to be an ideal amount, but the price point is definitely on the high side, costing about $3 – $4 per can.

REIZE Energy Drink (10 out of 10)

REIZE Energy Drink is very convenient.
REIZE is home-delivered for your convenience.

REIZE Energy Drink has a sensible amount of caffeine, which is enough to give you a perfect energy boost, without overdoing it.

Being sugar-free and with only 50mg of caffeine, REIZE might be the best energy drink for brain functions.

With a smart blend of B vitamins, taurine, and ginseng, REIZE will give you a great energy boost, without the crash.

REIZE ships right to your door for about $1 per drink – including shipping. Now, that’s awesome value for money.

Try REIZE today and I’m sure you’ll agree with me that REIZE is the best energy drink for your brain.

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