As game time approaches I know alot of athletes want to be on top of their game alert, pumped up and ready to go. One way alot of athletes get themselves going and ready to play is through energy drinks. Red Bull was the first energy drink put out on the market and since then many other options are now out there. Monster, Full Throttle, Rockstar and Amp are just a few of other well known energy drinks out there. Now the question to be asked is if energy drinks are beneficial for the hardworking athlete?
I myself have never had an energy drink before working out or before a game. But I know there are many athletes out there using energy drinks. In a article posted in the New York Times, it argues that when people consume energy drinks they never really know how much they are taking. This can be bad when it comes to working out because someone can overwork there body and over do it, ultimately taking away your perception of fatigue and pain your body may be experiencing. It also argues that it is a viscous cycle for an athlete to go through if there heart can not stop racing or they are not able to relax. After a hard workout it is beneficial for your body to get rest and sometimes energy drinks can keep you up awake and alert for long periods of time. For more information and the complete article visit here :
When it comes to energy drinks athletes need to be careful. Energy drinks also can contain substances that are banned by the NCAA. Substances include guarana, synephrine and ephedra. It is important that before competitions and when competing in the NCAA tournament to make sure that you read the labels on your energy drink or to make sure with your athletic trainer that your energy drink is not a banned substance. For a complete list of banned NCAA banned substances visit here: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/miss/genrel/auto_pdf/banned_drug_classes.pdf
Overall, I can not tell you what to do or what is right when it comes to energy drinks. But I just want athletes to know that they should be careful when it comes to what they are drinking and to not forget that water and sports drinks can be just as beneficial. I just want all the athletes out there to think twice about energy drinks and understand that they can truly not be good for your health as a competing athlete.
honestly i do not like the idea of energy drinks for anyone. I was informed of a drink that they sell at my gym, i believe it was called Heart Stopper. I asked the front desk person about it and he told me that one fourth of it is equivalent to 4 red bulls. I cant even imagine wanting to put that much stress on my system, and the thought of doing that while trying to get through a vigorous cardio workout makes me sick to think about it. Please be careful if you are someone who drinks these drinks.
ReplyDeleteYeah I think that it is scary that these drinks could really hurt you if you get just the right combination of all the ingredients in the drink, your amount of exercise, and how vigorous the exercise is. Its good that you pointed out that some of these drinks contain substances that are banned by the NCAA. Athletes are probably not reading up on the ingredients and the NCAA rules on a daily basis, so they could be jeopardizing their playing eligibility.
ReplyDeleteive never had a drink like this before, mostly cause caffeine has a huge effect on me compared to other people. like one soda for me is liike 4 sodas for someone else. heart stopper for me sounds like the worst idea ever.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you guys, energy drinks are not a good idea in my eyes. I've had a Red Bull once, and I never will again. I completely crashed, and wanted to go to sleep. I don't know how any athlete could drink these before a game without crashing. While it is ultimately a personal choice, I personally do not like energy drinks either.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big fan of energy drinks but in high school before basketball games a lot of my teammates used to drink energy drinks. Our coach always yelled at them and told them he better not see them again but they still drank them. I knew they weren't really good for you but I didn't think they were that much of a big deal. After reading this, I know how damaging they really are. Thanks for the info!!
ReplyDeleteI dont like the energy drinks i think they are a waist of health and its bad for you body. Some of my friends used when they are very tired and they want to go to a party and to be very energetic they take one of those and drink alcohol, and believe me the effects of that mix is not good. So im not agree with drinking this energy drinks they are not good for no one. Excellent post!
ReplyDeleteI do drink enrgy drinks a lot. I never really feel a energy rush from them though. I just drink them for the taste i guess. But i am one of those athletes that used to drink them before games and i can tell you i did it almost as a psychological thing. I felt that i would be pumped up for the game after drinking them, but i never was. I do know they are bad for you. There is a commercial out now that tells you that they have a lot of sugar and guarana in them. Overall they are just not the best drink to have before exercise or at any time for that matter.
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