Supping energy drinks?

Hi Folks,

In both the fitness and the workplace environment, people are always asking my opinion on the effects of energy drinks. Below is my advice on their use & effects:

If you are exercising continuously for 90 minutes or more, and to a high intensity (breathing heavily) our glycogen stores (preferred energy source from carbs) begin to run out. At this intensity your body cannot effectively convert stored fat to energy so this means our body may then start to break down muscle tissue for an emergency energy source. The sugary carbohydrates in an isotonic energy drink taken halfway through the long session will help prevent this.

If you regularly drink energy drinks at work or when not exercising then you may be damaging your body. When your body experiences a boost in sugars, your pancreas releases insulin to help remove the high sugar concentration in your blood stream to your cells. Initially you feel the positive affects but around one hour later you experience an energy crash which makes us want to drink another one (mood swings). By continuously taking such drinks & not burning off their energy, your pancreas is taking a hammering & your insulin levels become erratic. If this is a regular habit of your lifestyle then you are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes where your cells become insulin resistant.

Here’s my quote…‘If you’re not going to use it – lose it! However, if you do need to use energy drinks then why not try making your own? 50% squeezed orange fruit juice, 50% water, with a sprinkle of salt to compensate for sodium loss.

Thanks,

James