Is Caffeine Better?
Commerical energy drinks such as Red Bull have gained popularity among exercising individuals due to its purported effects on physical performance. You would be hard pressed to find a professional athlete or exercising individual who does not ingest some form of energy drink or supplement. The main active ingredient in energy drinks is caffeine. Caffeine is one of the most widely used ergogenic aids, with acute caffeine ingestion increasing aerobic exercise endurance and reducing fatigue. When consumed 60 minutes prior to exercise, caffeine is reported to increase aerobic exercise performance and decrease perceived exertion of exercise. Caffeine doses ≥ 2mg/kg of body weight appear effective; however recent research has shown that sugar-free energy drinks may not be all their hyped to be because they lack carbohydrates. The combination of caffeine and carbohydrates in regular energy drinks is crucial for athletic success.
[Dr. Darren Candow, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina. He serves on the editorial board of a number of prestigious academic journals and he runs a busy research laboratory with multiple graduate student researchers and technicians. Dr. Candow is a leading authority on nutraceutical intervention during exercise training on muscle and bone metabolism and has won numerous awards, published numerous peer-reviewed papers, and performed many invited lecture all over the world.]
