Pre-workout supplements are pretty popular among those who go to the gym frequently as they can improve your performance and supply you with some additional energy. They usually come in the form of powder and even tablets.
But did you know that energy drinks can also be effective pre-workouts?
Some energy drink brands are packed with a number of ingredients that you’ll find in your standard pre-workout, formulated to help boost your athletic performance as well as energy. From BCAAs to vitamins, pre-workout energy drinks have got you covered.
So, if you’re interested to find out which brand is best for your active lifestyle, read on for a detailed discussion on everything about pre-workout energy drinks, from the criteria you should be looking out for to some great recommendations.
What To Look For In An Energy Drink
Caffeine Content
Caffeine content is definitely an aspect of energy drinks that you must pay attention to when you’re looking for the right pick-me-up for your workouts.
After all, caffeine is the main ingredient that helps keep you stay awake, and improves your physical performance as well as cognition.
The caffeine content in energy drinks can range from between 50mg to 300mg, giving you plenty of choices and freedom to choose the right brand that suits your caffeine metabolism.
Of course, while caffeine carries many benefits, it’s best to moderate your daily caffeine intake based on your tolerance.
As a recommendation, the FDA suggests a day-to-day caffeine intake limit of 400mg for healthy adults. Anything more than this, and you might face unpleasant effects such as:
- Restlessness and shakiness
- Dizziness
- Insomnia
- Rapid heart rhythm
- Headaches
- Dehydration
In any case, be sure to go for the energy drink with suitable caffeine content and moderate your daily caffeine intake to a personal tolerable limit.
Sugar
Sugar is another important criteria to consider when you’re looking for a suitable energy drink.
While sugar can be beneficial in small amounts, consuming too much can lead to some serious health problems.
For reference, the AHA recommends a daily sugar intake of 25g for women and 36g for men. A diet fairly high in sugar would lead to health issues like:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Aging skin
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Weight gain
If you want to know more about the effects of sugar on the body, check out the video below:
Many energy drinks have a high sugar content, which is why you must look through the nutritional label before getting it. Fortunately, there are plenty of sugar-free energy drinks available nowadays.
In any case, be sure to go for an energy drink with a sensible amount of sugar, as well as moderate your daily sugar intake to stay on the healthier side.
Amino Acids
Getting a pre-workout energy drink packed with amino acids would greatly benefit your workout experience.
Amino acids are responsible for creating proteins, which are compounds that are needed and used by many important functions in your body. From energy production to muscle repair, amino acids help to maintain your health and wellbeing.
There are many types of amino acids, from essential to non-essential. The most common amino acids you’ll find in energy drinks are BCAAs and taurine. These amino acids carry a bunch of benefits, which include improving muscle growth, enhancing athletic performance, and reducing muscle fatigue.
A number of pre-workout energy drinks contain a high amount of amino acids such as Reign and Bang, which can give your performance an extra edge.
Is It Good To Drink Energy Drinks Before A Workout?
It’s completely fine to drink energy drinks before a workout, as they can boost your energy levels and performance.
Sometimes there are days when it becomes difficult for you to get started on your workouts, whether it’s due to fatigue or some other reason. Thus, if you need a boost to make you more alert and get your blood pumping, having an energy drink might just do the trick.
Besides, energy drinks can be beneficial for your workouts, as they can improve endurance, stamina, and power. For context, a study involving 15 participants reported that the consumption of a Red Bull significantly improved upper body muscle endurance.
Energy drinks also enhance your cognitive functions, especially in terms of alertness, vigilance, and reaction time. A 2017 study reported that memory capacity and attention span increased after the participants consumed a can of Red Bull. Thus, when you have an energy drink before your workouts, you’ll be able to perform and concentrate longer.
All in all, energy drinks can give you a good boost before your workouts, but I wouldn’t recommend having them consistently. Furthermore, energy drinks are only meant to energize you, so be sure to have water or electrolyte-filled beverages during or after exercise to quench your thirst.
Is Caffeine Good For Weight Loss?
Caffeine won’t make you lose weight, but it will provide you with the energy and stamina to burn excess fat during your workouts.
While caffeine can definitely boost weight loss efforts, it doesn’t help you burn off the excess fat and calories from your body. That depends entirely on your own effort and discipline.
Caffeine can contribute to your weight loss program by breaking down fatty tissues and jumpstarting your metabolism, making it easier for you to lose weight through exercise.
Of course, managing your diet properly also helps you to maintain your progress, since you would need to consume fewer calories than the ones you lost during exercise to see some visible improvement in your weight.
That said, drinking caffeinated beverages for your weight loss routine isn’t going to work well in the long term, as you’ll eventually build a tolerance to caffeine.
So, I’d recommend having an energy drink, or other caffeinated beverage, for your workouts when you need an extra push.
Is It OK To Drink A Monster Before Exercising?
It’s completely OK to drink a Monster before exercising, as your energy levels and performance will increase significantly.
For reference, a single 16 fl.oz can of Monster contains 160mg of caffeine, 54g of sugar and 210 calories.
With 160mg of caffeine, you’ll definitely get a pretty big boost, which can keep you going during your workouts for some time.
That said, Monster does contain a high sugar and calorie content, which can lead to a sugar crash, making you feel sluggish and tired, something you don’t really want when you’re trying to push through your reps.
Now, it’s fine if you drink a Monster once in a while before exercising, but I wouldn’t recommend having it consistently.
Monster does offer a sugar-free flavor though, Monster Zero Ultra, which has the same caffeine content and ingredients without the unnecessary calories, which would be more suitable as a pre-workout.
Best Pre-Workout Energy Drink
| Energy Drinks | Caffeine Content | Sugar Content | Calories |
| Raze | 300mg | 0g | 0 calories |
| Aspire | 80mg | 0g | 0 calories |
| Xtend Energy On-The-Go | 125mg | 0g | 0 calories |
| REIZE | 50mg | 0g | 11 calories |
Raze
Made with enhanced performance in mind, Raze is a pre-workout energy drink that aims to increase your health and wellbeing, as well as exercise-based aspects with its special ReFresh formula.
A single 16 fl.oz can of Raze Energy is completely sugar-free and has 300mg of caffeine, along with lots of amino acids and electrolytes.
Plus, Raze also has a wide selection of interesting flavors, which is a big bonus, so you won’t find yourself getting bored with it anytime soon.
As you can see, Raze has a pretty high caffeine content for enhanced power and endurance, but if you don’t think you can handle that much caffeine, you can go for the other energy drinks listed in this section.
If you want to know how Raze tastes and whether it works as a pre-workout, check out my review on Raze Energy for my experience with it.
Aspire
Advertised as a calorie-burning energy drink, Aspire Energy is filled with a rich variety of natural and active ingredients for the health-conscious.
A 12 fl.oz can of Aspire Energy is sugar-free and has 80mg of natural caffeine, together with organic ingredients like guarana and green tea, as well as lots of B vitamins.
Along with its sensible caffeine and sugar content, Aspire also has a decent selection of fruity flavors that might appeal to you.
If you’re wondering how drinking Aspire daily may affect your health, check out the article I’ve written on whether you can drink Aspire every day for a more in-depth analysis.
Xtend Energy On-The-Go
Formulated with high-quality amino acids, electrolytes, and other exercise-based ingredients, Xtend Energy On-The-Go is an energy drink made for smoother performance.
A single 16 fl.oz can of Xtend Energy is completely sugar-free and has 125mg of caffeine, along with a generous serving of BCAAs, taurine, and vitamin B6.
While its choices are quite limited, Xtend Energy On-The-Go offers a small selection of tasty fruit-inspired flavors, if you like switching up between flavors now and then.
Besides, Xtend also has a caffeine-free version, Xtend Carbonated, if you’re a fan of the drink but prefer to do away with caffeine completely.
For a detailed breakdown on how Xtend tastes and works, check out my review on Xtend Energy Drink for my thoughts and take on the drink.
REIZE (10 Out Of 10)
With reasonable nutritional values, REIZE is a powdered energy drink that comes in light 4g sachets for your convenience.
Aside from containing a sensible 50mg of caffeine, REIZE is also completely sugar-free and has only 11 calories per serve.
REIZE is also packed with a smart blend of beneficial ingredients such as taurine, ginseng, and B vitamins for a smooth energy boost without the dreaded sugar crashes.
The most amazing segment is that REIZE ships at your doorstep for only $1 per sachet, which is quite an affordable buy.
Give REIZE a try today, and you might find it to be the best pre-workout energy drink for your exercise needs.