By: Oliver Strzelczyk of Europe’s Elite

Regardless of which country you play for or which team you represent, you are bound to have heard a player recommending drinking a full can of Red Bull, Monster or other energy drink during halftime – or alternatively you may have been this player yourself. Is such a habit healthy, beneficial and should you pick it up?

Upon examining the effect of an energy drink’s primary ingredient – caffeine – one may notice that it has a very large effect on the entire body. It impacts the nervous system by activating areas of the brain which in turn help an individual focus while reducing tiredness. The stimulated release of the adrenaline hormone known as epinephrine increases performance by activating the ‘fight or flight’ response to a significant level, and the activating of the central nervous system ( CNS ) translates to better muscle responsiveness and performance.

While each energy drink on the market slightly differs in its formula and ingredients, most overlap when it comes to intended use. Red Bull, for example, had formerly been known as Krating Daeng and was introduced as a medicine that would awaken the large hard-working workforce of Thailand. In fact, the only major change to the drink itself after it was imported to Austria by Deitrich Mateschitz was carbonation of the beverage. Therefore, if the intended purpose of the Red Bull is to ‘awaken’ the individual, is it a good source of energy ahead of a football game?

“Please stay away from those energy drinks! They have large and unregulated amounts of caffeine and sugar” – says Dr Powell O. Jose from Stutter medical Centre in Colorado. Dr Jose also points out that consumption of caffeine in excess may cause cardiac arrhythmias – irregular beating of the heart. This, according to medical experts, is a primary reason for which athletes should not consume regular energy drinks, as they already raise our heart rate during exercise, meaning that doing so artificially ( with the use of energy drinks ) ahead of practice or games increases it further – potentially to the point where a heart attack becomes a very likely risk.

However, healthline.com points out that a single dose of caffeine can “significantly improve exercise performance, focus and fat burning”, calling on the example of the US Special Forces in which many soldiers consume energy drinks to enhance performance and awareness. However, the question over whether this translates to sports must be split up into two areas – endurance sports, and high-intensity sports.

A study performed on cyclists concluded that a moderate dose of caffeine in the range of 1.3-2.7mg per pound of body weight leads to a modest improvement in performance. In another study, cyclists who had consumed 200mg doses completed a time trial significantly faster than those who consumed 100mg. Both these groups outperformed the group who had not consumed any caffeine at all.

Other research, however, suggests that a genetic variation may have an effect upon how effectively caffeine is metabolized, and thus means that individuals with the variation may experience greater improvements in performance.

In terms of high-intensity sports, like football, the results are more mixed. Trained athletes experience greater benefits than those who train little or not at all. Other studies have suggested that the effect is minimal even on trained athletes – as demonstrated by the fact that 300mg of caffeine alongside creatine did not improve sprint performance in physically active males at all. The only evident effect of caffeine on high-intensity athletes is a reduced feeling of exertion which can be achieved by consuming 1.4-2.7mg of caffeine per pound of body weight 30-90 minutes prior to exercise.

Athletes must, however, adhere to the regulations of the organizations they play under. In their study titled “Effects of too much caffeine on athletic performance” – the NCAA has concluded that consuming over 500 mg of caffeine from any source ( including coffee ) leads to significant side effects. In aims of improving player safety as well as maintaining a level playing field, the NCAA has placed a limit on the amount of caffeine an athlete may consume daily.

“But Formula One drivers drink Red Bulls and Monsters all the time!” is a claim that a medical professional often hear. To that, they respond by pointing out that these drivers only drink from bottles with a logo of an energy drink, but in reality, they consume heavily engineered drinks full of minerals and vitamins and not the energy drink that one may buy in stores.

This information concludes to show that caffeine and energy drinks – do in fact have a positive impact on performance. However, athletes must remember to consider the risks involved and are advised by medical experts to consume those energy drinks, which are clearly made for sports ( such as sports Gatorade or Sport Lucozade ) and not those which are produced for average use. Doing so will provide similar positive effects ( such as reduced fatigue and higher alertness ) while reducing the risk of cardiac arrhythmias and other drawbacks. They are also significantly harder to get addicted to – thus posing less of a long-term threat.