Top Recommendation: REIZE Energy!
If you want to do cardio but you’re looking for an easy way to do it, you can always go for a sprint. Not that I’m saying that sprinting is an easy thing to do since it requires strength and training.
If you’re a dedicated sprinter, energy drinks can help you keep up your energy and concentration during your workouts and sprints. Aside from boosting your performance, it can improve your metabolic rate too.
Find out how energy drinks can upgrade your performance further in this article. I’ll also give you a few suggestions!
Let’s start.
Do Energy Drinks Help Runners?
Energy drinks can help runners in terms of improving energy levels and prolonged endurance.
Caffeine, the main component of energy drinks is responsible for the energizing effects that you get from caffeinated beverages.
This article claims that more than 50% of athletes consume energy drinks during their competitions and training.
Before we go deeper into the relevance of energy drinks in running, let’s first take a quick look at the benefits of running alone.
| Benefits | How good is it? |
| Makes Bones Stronger | Any physical exercise can slow the rate of bone loss. Just like jumping, running is also a weight-bearing activity that stimulates your bones, making them stronger. |
| Weight Loss | Sweating can decrease your weight because it burns fats. The heat of the sun is also another factor. |
| Boosts Your Confidence | If you have a competition to win every time, you practice your sprint. Reaching that goal can boost your self-confidence. On the other hand, if you don’t prepare for any competition, going beyond your daily limit can also boost your confidence. |
You’ll get all of these benefits from running alone and more if you run with an energy drink.
Will an Energy Drink Help Me Run Faster?
In theory, energy drinks can help you run faster because they have caffeine, a known performance enhancer.
Energy drinks can increase alertness and physical performance allowing you to run faster and farther.
Haven’t you noticed? Most people drink caffeinated drinks in the morning to prepare their bodies for work.
In the same way, energy drinks with lots of caffeine can not only wake your whole body up but also supply it with power.
However, more caffeine doesn’t entirely mean more energy supply. You can also overdose on it, which is why the FDA only recommends 400mg of caffeine per day. Taking more than this amount will lead you to feel the following:
- Trouble breathing
- Vomiting
- Confusion
- Chest pain
- Hallucinations
- Irregular or fast heartbeat
- Uncontrollable muscle movements
- Convulsions
Obviously, all of the said effects cannot help you perform well. That’s why I highly suggest you take a look at the nutrition facts section of any energy drinks you might consider.
Is Sugar Suitable for Runners?
Yes! Just like caffeine, the sugar you consume before or during your sprint is immediately used for energy.
On the other hand, consuming sugary energy drinks after sprinting will turn the unused sugar into fat for future use.
If you’re at rest, your muscle cells are not working hard. They don’t find it necessary to use sugar for energy, and that’s how you can gain weight.
According to this article, the recommended intake for sugar is 36g and 24g for men and women, respectively. If you happen to consume sugar past this amount, you’ll likely feel the following:
- Hunger
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Discomfort
- Difficulty concentrating
- Excessive sweating
For that reason, it is highly suggested that you opt for sugar-free energy drinks to avoid the side effects.
Read here for my top recommendations on sugar-free energy drinks.
Does Vitamin B12 Help You With Running?
If you often feel like you lack the energy and your muscles are getting weaker, you lack vitamin B12 in your body. It means lacking vitamin B12 can surely impact your running performance.
This vitamin is essential for your nerves and blood cells. It also lowers your chances of getting a type of anemia that causes tiredness and weakness.
According to the information presented here, you should have at least 1000 mcg of vitamin B12 per day. Due to its water-solubilizing nature, exceeding this amount is still deemed safe.
Learn more about vitamin B12 in this video!
Do Electrolytes Help You With Running?
Even though electrolytes won’t give you energy directly, they play a role in keeping your energy levels up.
As a sprinter, you need to have a lot of electrolytes in store. This content is essential for your hydration and helps regulate your pH levels. You can get electrolytes in the form of sodium, magnesium, potassium, chloride, and more.
Running can make you sweat a lot. Having a supply of electrolytes will enable your body to replace the fluids you lost.
You will also avoid muscle cramps, feeling weak, and fatigue if you have at least approximately 1,600 to 2,000 mg of electrolytes daily in your body.
Iron
If you’re female, you probably need this more because, during your menstruation, you are more prone to iron deficiency than males.
You’ll notice you’re low on iron when you experience shortness of breath, heart palpitation, and tiredness. Pale complexions suggest low levels of iron too! The said symptoms can affect your running performance negatively.
According to this article, you need at least 8.7mg a day for men over 18 years of age. On the other hand, women need 14.8mg a day for ages ten and above.
Magnesium
Magnesium is another electrolyte that is good for you if you’re a runner.
According to this article, athletes who consume magnesium have a faster running time and experience a reduction in stress hormone levels during a triathlon.
Therefore, you should definitely consume food and beverages with calcium if you’re into running!
Is Red Bull Good for Sprinters?
Yes, it can help sprinters. This study finds that taking Red Bull an hour before your workout will improve your running capacity.
In the said study the participants took an energy drink before their exercise. And the result shows an improvement in their 5-km run performance.
On the other hand, Red Bull has 80mg of caffeine and 28g of sugar. This amount of caffeine can boost your metabolism rate without giving you a headache.
Which Energy Drink is Best for Athletes?
Aside from Red Bull, you can also try these energy drinks:
Monster
A 16 fl. oz can of Monster contains 210 calories, 54g of carbs, 160mg of caffeine, and 370mg of sodium.
This energy is good for sprinting because it has vitamin B12 and other forms of B Vitamins aside from caffeine. It also has electrolytes in the form of sodium.
Monster contains energy promoters like L-carnitine, L-tartrate, glucuronolactone, and taurine as well.
Each can of Monster can cost you around $2, making it a good choice, assuming you’re searching for a fast sugar surge.
C4 Energy
C4 Energy is one of the most outstanding exercise drinks you should try. It doesn’t contain any sugar or calories, which means it won’t really make you gain weight!
The drawback I see with C4 Energy is the caffeine content which is somewhat high at 200mg per can. However, it’ll not cause you any problems if you only take one serving per day.
But if you plan to sprint later in the afternoon, I think two servings a day is enough. Make sure to follow the FDA 400mg caffeine limit for your own safety.
REIZE (My favorite)
REIZE energy drink is the best drink for me. It has just enough amount of caffeine at 50mg. Along with caffeine, taurine reduces your chances of fatigue while you’re running.
Aside from enhancing your concentration and performance, this study claims that caffeine and taurine can even improve your endurance!
REIZE also contains B vitamins, ginseng, and other energy-boosting ingredients for added energy which you’ll need when sprinting.
In addition to this, you can enjoy it in a very convenient package. This 4g powdered drink is still tasty and effective whether you mix it in hot or cold water.
Plus, it’s sugar-free and contains only 11 calories!
You can get REIZE for only around $1 including shipping to your home.
Try REIZE now and discover the best!
Other Notable Mentions
Conclusion
To sum it up, there’s no doubt that energy drinks can help sprinters. Whether you’re a professional or a beginner, you’ll always need an additional energy source to be consistently excellent.
Energy drinks can increase your energy levels and also help you to remain hydrated. Don’t forget to check if you’re getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals in any energy drink you go for.
In my opinion, you should go with REIZE. Aside from its convenience, it also has just the right amount of caffeine and micronutrients.
For more energy drink suggestions, check out my list here.