Energy drinks, when to have one?

fussyonion

Hi everyone, I bought two 500ml cans of zero sugar, zero calorie Monster today (they were on offer).

I was thinking of drinking one before hitting the gym on days when I feel I need more energy, but there are conflicting reports online saying it's dangerous to do this.

When should I drink one?

And 500ml seems a lot in one go. Is it?

Sorry if these are newb questions but I just haven't a clue.

verycool

Might help...

https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/energy-boosters/tips/healthy-energy-drinks/

I don't think there is a should or shouldn't with them though if you want some i would start drinking it before & during. I don't generally drink monster except at meets so maybe someone else will have a better idea

Reps4jesus

i regularly used to have a can of zero calorie monster before the gym as it give me a little pick me up before the workout. Have since taken to making my own pre-workout as it is a lot cheaper than buying a can every day. Unless you are particularly sensitive to caffeine then i wouldnt see what would be dangerous about it. They are not exactly healthy by any stretch but dont see them doing you any harm either.

fussyonion

Thanks for the replies guys, appreciate it.
I think I'll start drinking it before the gym and during my work-out. I thought you had to drink the whole can before working out but I'd never manage 500ml before exercising, nor would I want to!


I don't think I'd like to rely on the drinks as a permanent thing; I just saw them in Lidl, two for €2 and thought I'd give them a try.


There are some days when I get to the gym and I think "I wish I had a bit more energy", so thought it'd be handy having a few in the fridge for those times.


Thanks again!

shakeitoff

How about scaling back your workout and try to increase how much you can go each week? I don't think relying on energy drinks to get energy should be advisable. Don't get me wrong, I've done it, but for your health and fitness perhaps it would be better just not pushing as hard and increasing your energy organically. That's what I did. I asked myself why I was working out; Did I just want the short term pump or did I want to be genuinely healthy and fit. I've never seen a footballer or athlete talk about drinking monster before a workout, only Instagram fitness models for whom it's not about health.

Mellor

It's sugar free, so it's literally just the caffeine that's giving you energy. In that regard it above the same as a double espresso. People would often have that before work and nobody bats an eyelid.

shakeitoff wrote: »

I've never seen a footballer or athlete talk about drinking monster before a workout, only Instagram fitness models for whom it's not about health.

Caffeine is widely used in elite sports like soccer, rugby. etc.
Many teams are sponsored by lucozade, gatorade, etc. Monster sponsor MMA, Motorsports and other "extreme" demographics.

heroics

As Mellor said its just the caffeine giving you the boost. If its just the volume (500ml) you could take a double espresso or pre-workout or even caffeine tablets

does-caffeine-improve-gym-performance

https://www.scienceinsport.com/sports-nutrition/caffeine-benefits-endurance-performance/

with regards to shakeitoff. You dont see them taking monster necessarily but most of them are taking caffeine in some form or another

From Here

"A recent study looked into the presence of caffeine in post-competition urine samples taken for drug testing (Coso JD et al, 2011). The results revealed 3 out of 4 elite athletes use caffeine as part of their pre-competition routine."

This might be worth a read as well but its long

In most of the links above the caffeine is recommended to be taken 60 mins before training in 2-6mg per kg of body weight. (500ml of monster is ~170mg)

Brian?

I wouldn’t think a zero calorie drink is ideal before the gym, I’d want some calories.

I was always a fan of coffee and wine gums pre workout.

whippet

I find a decent days eating is the best preworkout

Alf Veedersane

Lasagne is not a good pre workout before deadlifts.

It'll be squeezed out of you like toothpaste...

wing52

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Lasagne is not a good pre workout before deadlifts.

It'll be squeezed out of you like toothpaste...

A few jaffa cakes maybe? Good ones with glucose,not just sucrose stuff.

Alf Veedersane

wing52 wrote: »

A few jaffa cakes maybe? Good ones with glucose,not just sucrose stuff.

I wasn't being entirely serious. I'm a bit like whippet...i just rely on having a decent diet to fuel my workouts.

Caliden

If you're not used to caffeine I wouldn't consume the entire thing.

When I go off caffeine for a while my hands get the shakes when I go back to anything with caffeine.

Effects

I just stick to fish and a rice cake, blended with some fish oil, flax milk and a triple espresso.
I'd never drink monster. Isn't it just designed to appeal to suckers? Athletes only drink it when they are paid to and on camera.

IvoryTower

If im training 6-7am i love to have an energy drink. I dont drink coffee though so that might do the trick.

Caliden

I honestly just skip the energy drinks/coffee for early morning workouts and go straight for a caffeine tablet. Cheaper, no sugar/fizz and doesn't have the same 'effect' on the my stomach that coffee naturally does.

IvoryTower

I have caffeine tablets but enjoy having a cold drink. I feel dirty though this stuff can't be good for you, just not sure how bad

Reps4jesus

IvoryTower wrote: »

I have caffeine tablets but enjoy having a cold drink. I feel dirty though this stuff can't be good for you, just not sure how bad

Can get caffeine powder and mix it with water and a few flavor drops and does the job. if you wanna go further then throw in some creatine, bcaas and beta alanine and you have a homemade preworkout at less than a third of the price of a can of monster.

Dtp1979

Effects wrote: »

I just stick to fish and a rice cake, blended with some fish oil, flax milk and a triple espresso.
I'd never drink monster. Isn't it just designed to appeal to suckers? Athletes only drink it when they are paid to and on camera.

Jesus Christ, why don’t you add some vinegar to flavour.

Alf Veedersane

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Jesus Christ, why don’t you add some vinegar to flavour.

I don't think they were being serious.

Once you see fish + rice cakes...