Current perspectives of caffeinated energy drinks on exercise performance and safety assessment

Abstract:

Energy drinks and energy shots have become very popular among athletes and the general population. They typically contain carbohydrate, caffeine, and other nutrients purported to enhance mental and/or physical performance. Additionally, several caffeine-containing pre-workout supplements have been developed which are commonly consumed as a drink prior to and/or during exercise. While occasional ingestion of these types of products appears to be safe and may offer some ergogenic benefit, individuals who consume these products indiscriminately need to be careful and consider how ingestion of these products may affect the total daily intake of caffeine and other stimulants throughout the day, to minimize any adverse events and/or harmful side effects. This review provides an update as to the current literature on energy drinks and energy shots and provides practical recommendations for their appropriate use among athletes.

Keywords::

• energy drinks
• energy shots
• pre-workout supplements
• exercise performance
• cognitive function

Disclosure

RBK received external funding from industry through the institutions he has been affiliated with to conduct exercise and nutrition research. RBK has served as a legal expert on exercise- and nutrition-related cases, and formerly served as a scientific advisor for Nutrabolt. The author reports no other conflicts of interest in this work.