{"id":11149,"date":"2024-10-09T02:29:21","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T19:29:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=11149"},"modified":"2024-10-09T02:29:21","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T19:29:21","slug":"should-you-have-an-energy-drink-before-a-workout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=11149","title":{"rendered":"Should You Have an Energy Drink Before a Workout?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"articleBody\">\n<p>So, you have a challenging workout scheduled after work, but you\u2019re feeling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/5-ways-fight-fatigue\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a little depleted<\/a>. Squeezed for time, you make a pit-stop at a convenience store. You scan around looking for something that might help power you through your session \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/bananas-nutrition-facts-and-how-to-enjoy-them\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bananas<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/6-benefits-eating-nuts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mixed nuts<\/a>, bottled water \u2014 and see, in the cooler, a shelf of brightly colored energy drinks promising exactly what you need.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s one that boasts hours of focus, one that all but guarantees massive muscles, one that says it will\u00a0pump you up\u00a0till you virtually explode. But what these energy drinks don\u2019t include on the label is that their primary ingredients are sugar and a hefty dose of caffeine.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe it\u2019s time to change our thinking.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/pre-workout-vs-energy-drinks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pre-workout supplements<\/a> are formulated to help you optimize performance, particularly during higher-intensity activities, and are decidedly a better choice than run-of-the-mill energy drinks. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n<h2>The Pros and Cons of Energy Drinks<\/h2>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-176454\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/17100723\/energy-drink-before-workout-600-pros-cons.jpg\" alt=\"Young Man in Grocery Store | Energy Drink Before Workout\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\"\/><\/p>\n<h3>1. Sugar<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Pro: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/what-are-calories-and-how-are-they-measured\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Calories<\/a> and sugar get a bad rap in our weight-obsessed culture. Calories are simply a measure of the amount of energy in a food, and sugar is an efficient, palate-pleasing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/why-are-carbs-important\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fuel<\/a> for many body functions. To perform at your best, you need adequate amounts of both. That goes double if you\u2019re a regular exerciser.<\/p>\n<p>Trying to get through a hard workout on a completely empty stomach \u2014 particularly if you\u2019re doing something <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/anaerobic-vs-aerobic-exercise\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">anaerobic<\/a> like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/beginner-weight-lifting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lifting weights<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/hiit-running-workout-for-beginners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HIIT<\/a> \u2014 can be like dragging a stubborn dog to the vet: You might get there eventually, but it will be a fight every step of the way.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/what-to-eat-before-a-workout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">experts recommend<\/a> eating a full meal an hour or two before performing anaerobic exercise \u2014 or, failing that, fueling up beforehand with a small snack like a piece of fruit.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Con:<\/strong> If you\u2019re trying to keep your fat stores in check, excess <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/natural-sugar-vs-added-sugar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">added sugar<\/a> will work against your efforts. True, you burn some of that sugar during your workout, but, like anything else you consume, the sugar and calories in that energy drink factor into the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/what-is-cico\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">calories-in, calories-out<\/a> equation that determines if you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/guide-how-to-lose-weight\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lose weight<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/how-to-gain-weight-the-right-way\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gain weight<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/how-to-maintain-weight\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stay the same weight<\/a> in the long term.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe high amounts of sugar found in energy drinks are not the best way to fuel for exercise,\u201d says Paul Falcone, principal scientist at BODi. \u201cIt also may contribute additional calories that may not help you achieve your overall health goals.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>2. Caffeine<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Pro:<\/strong>\u00a0Caffeine is another common active ingredient in energy drinks \u2014 and research has shown that it can be an effective one. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5839013\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">meta-analysis<\/a>\u00a0concluded that caffeine had \u201csignificant ergogenic [performance-enhancing] effects\u2026on maximal muscle strength of upper body and muscle power.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another small <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8401934\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">study<\/a>\u00a0found that caffeine enhanced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/how-to-jump-higher\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">jumping ability<\/a> in female athletes. So, if you\u2019re on the hunt for a legal, safe, and effective way to give your gym performance a measurable boost, look no further than the active ingredient in your morning cup of joe.*<\/p>\n<p><strong>Con:<\/strong>\u00a0But like sugar, caffeine has limits. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/is-caffeine-bad-for-you\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Take too much<\/a>, too often and you not only get jittery \u2014 you become more tolerant to its effects so that what once hyped you up now barely gets you to baseline. Moreover, some energy drinks contain upwards of 300 mg of caffeine \u2014 well over half the daily amount considered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/consumers\/consumer-updates\/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201csafe.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>3. BCAAS<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/what-are-bcaas-benefits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Branched-chain amino acids<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 leucine, isoleucine, and valine \u2014 are another ingredient sometimes found in sports supplements. All three BCAAs are plentiful in foods that contain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/what-is-protein\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">protein<\/a> (including dairy, animal, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/10-great-vegetarian-sources-protein\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">vegetable sources<\/a>), so it\u2019s not necessary to consume large amounts of them in supplement form \u2014 particularly before a workout.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGenerally, BCAA\u2019s play a greater role after your workout to aid in recovery and rebuilding,\u201d says Falcone.<\/p>\n<h2>What Should You Consume Instead of Energy Drinks?<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-176447\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/17100144\/energy-drink-before-workout-600-pre-workout.jpg\" alt=\"Athlete in Gym with Supplements | Energy Drink Before Workout\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Are there better choices to make before your workout? Absolutely.<\/p>\n<p>You may experience intense exercise as a muscle-pumping, leg-churning sweat-fest, but on a molecular level, a workout is a score of complex chemicals, all reacting at blinding speed over and over again: fuel converting to a usable form; fuel burned and turned into kinetic energy; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/skeletal-muscle-fiber-types-fast-slow-twitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">muscle fibers<\/a>\u00a0gripping and releasing from one another;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/beta-alanine-and-muscular-endurance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">waste products clearing<\/a>; back-up fuels mobilize; oxygen pumps into the system and carbon-dioxide pumps out.<\/p>\n<p>Tailoring what you consume beforehand to your workout \u2014 as with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/pre-workout-vs-energy-drinks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pre-workout supplement<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 can impact how efficiently those chemical reactions take place and whether you shamble out of the gym feeling like a dishrag or fly out feeling like a superhero.<\/p>\n<h2>How Pre-Workouts Aid Your Routine<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-119352\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Fruit-Punch-Energize.inpost.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Some of the ingredients that are particularly beneficial to high-intensity exercise are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Caffeine<\/strong> to help provide energy and improved focus and attention.*<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/beta-alanine-and-muscular-endurance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Beta-alanine<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0helps you\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20479615\/\">fight fatigue<\/a>\u00a0and perform better by helping your body produce more of the amino acid carnosine. This amino buffers muscle acids that result from exercise. *<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/should-you-supplement-with-quercetin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Quercetin<\/strong><\/a> is a powerful phytonutrient that works synergistically with caffeine and beta-alanine to help delay exercise-induced fatigue and boost performance.*<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cCaffeine and beta-alanine are some of the most clinically-researched ingredients available on the market,\u201d says Falcone. \u201cAnd the evidence shows that they can help you get the most out of your workouts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Falcone\u2019s recommendation: Skip the energy drinks and go for something formulated to help you reach your goals the fastest: \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bodi.com\/us\/en\/pn\/energize-pre-workout?ICID=BLOG_ENERGIZE&amp;refsource=Blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Energize Pre-Workout<\/a>\u00a0provides key ingredients to optimize your workout that are not found in energy drinks,\u201d says Falcone. \u201cThese ingredients provide more than just energy \u2014 they help to fight fatigue during exercise and to enhance strength gains.\u201d*<\/p>\n<p><em>*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/energy-drink-before-a-workout\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So, you have a challenging workout scheduled after work, but you\u2019re feeling a little depleted. Squeezed for time, you make a pit-stop at a convenience store. You scan around looking for something that might help power you through your session \u2014 bananas, mixed nuts, bottled water \u2014 and see, in the cooler, a shelf of &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11149"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11149\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}