Do Energy Drinks Really Work?

Question

I'm 23 years old, work full time and have 1 child. When I get home from work, I'm drained. At about 5:30pm, I'm usually asleep and it is very hard for me to get up and cook dinner. I take a 2-3 hour nap and I feel so guilty because my daughter expects me to be with her but I can barely keep my eyes open. I don't like coffee. I want to try an energy drink but I don't want to be jittery. What should I do?

Answer 1

Yes they do work but let's look at a few things first.

It seems like you get enough sleep but are you sleeping well? If not then the 8 hours might not be enough. Exercise is not just for loosing weight.  It helps keep you healthy. You sleep better and actually have more energy throughout the day.

Next is water. Do you get enough. Most of the time we feel tired is because we are dehydrated. It is our body's way of keeping us from overworking and overheating from lack of hydration. If you feel tired when you get home drink 2 glasses of water. If you feel better then you were only dehydrated, not tired. We need 1 ounce for every 2 pounds of body weight plus 8 ounces for every 20 minutes of exericse. With warm/dry days and climats we need even more. Caffeinated drinks and alcohol dehydrate us so those won't help. Proper hydration will increase your motabolism and energy levels by 3%.

Now we also need to look at your nutrition. Do you get enough? The only way we get enough is to supplement. This is becuase the RDA/RDI was established as the bare minimum needed for people to prevent from getting nutritional deficiency diseases. For optimal health we need more. Just like software for our computers has the minimum memory required to run but then the recommended amount is higher. With supplements you get what you pay for. So if you are cheap then most of the nutrients in them really won't work. Proper nutrition will also increase your energy levels.

Now all of these will not only help with your energy but will also make you healthier, without necessarily making you loose weight at all. Besides your energy, you will find yourself sleeping better, simply feeling better, thinking more clearly, and you won't get sick as much either. Plus it will set a good example for your daughter to lead a healthy life style.

Now if after all of this you are still that wiped out after work then maybe an energy drink will be good. Even the best of us need a boost. I would actually recommend in this case actually using a healthy energy drink, like XS Energy, 5 Hour Energy, or Stacker's 6 Hour Power. This is because they don't use sugar and have a reduced amount of caffeine. They also provide many more B vitamins which are themselves essential in your energy needs.

Answer 2

Fruit smoothies usually energize me... blend some ice, bananas, strawberries, and some juice together, and drink while VERY cold... but an extra boost add a small can of RedBull... it will dilute it a bit, but still give you energy.

OR... Get some soy protein powder (like the kind for vegetarians)  add some milk and blend that until frothy.  Great and healthy energy boost... maybe add some peanut butter or a banana.

Also, you could also try Cranergy http://www.cranergy.com/  I'm a bit energy drink drinker, and this was lighter, but still worked pretty well.

Answer 3

Energy drinks do work, which is why truck drivers drink them, I have used them a couple of times. I suggest you only drink it first thing in the morning as if you drink a can later in the day, you may not sleep that night as I have also found out. The brand "Mother" is the best tasting but that is only my opinion

give it a go on a Friday so that if you find that you are up during the night at least you won't have to go to work the following day. I am not sure about if you could drank a can a day everyday as this may effect your blood pressure or something like that I could not say. I have seen teenagers drink more than 1 can in a short priod of time and it makes them very hypro-active, and a bit silly. anyway no harm in trying a can just drink it first thing in the morning - Good luck.

Answer 4

You should try the Energy Drinks if you think they will do any good.

You will find them worthless -- just another sugar-water drink with a little unhelpful vitamins or amino acids.

Girl, you really need some sleep.

Answer 5

Energy drinks are massively overrated, like berrocca.

Ok, I fully understand where you are coming from as a parent myself but eat healthy and excersise regularly (it doesnt have to be intense) and you will find that you will have alot more energy.

Answer 6

Yes, energy drinks do work. However, most are loaded with sugar- so it's a sugar high and then of course the crash- which is why people are jittery. Being that most of the energy does come the sugar most energy drinks are not good for you or your body, brain etc.

I actually came across an energy drink that works- there are several different flavors- and all the energy comes from the vitamins in the energy drink.  And the great thing is that they only have 8 calories and no carbs.  So they are safe for even kids to drink.  It's called XS. and some of the favors are cranberry-grape, root beer, peach tea, green tea, tropical, citrus, cola, black cherry cola, etc... and some flavors come caffenine free if that's what you are looking for.  Each drink is equivilant to one-fourth of a b-12 shot!!!



Here's the site where I get them from... and info on it- such as the vitamins, nurtition, and competitve info can all be find on the site.  Just type XS into the search bar.

Hope this helps!

Answer 7

The companies selling these energy drinks have tall claims that do not usually match the results in the field and as such should be considered with reservations! In your condition and situation, a vitamin supplement should work coupled with rest at the right time (not odd time before dinner)!

Answer 8

have a rockstar =]

they will keep you awake a good 3 hours

(for me at least)

oh and they make your pee green

fabulous ehh

Answer 9

how many hours do you sleep a night?  Cause if you are taking a nap right when you get home for 2-3 hours then sleeping at night, you are probably sleeping too  much.  Stop taking a nap, that is probably why you are so tired.  You only need 8 hours of sleep a day.

Answer 10

i'd try that five hour energy.  its a healthy energy drink thats loaded with b vitamins to keep you awake, not sugar, caffeine and all the other junk in those things.  ive heard friends that have tried it and said that it actually works fairly well.

Answer 11

red bull will keep u up and it doesnt effect you were you act crazy you act the same but u are awake