This article looks at the effects of drinking a commercial energy drink on 5 km running performance
What’s the deal?
We previously saw that caffeine from coffee can give you a performance boost, but what about so-called “energy drinks”? Energy drinks should give you extra energy, right?
What did they do?
18 recreational runners took part in this study, which consisted of running two 5 km time trials on a treadmill, one week apart. 60 minutes before each time trial, participants either consumed an energy drink (Red Bull), or a placebo control drink (zero caffeine, zero sugar).
What happened?
Participants completed the run 30 seconds faster after drinking the energy drink (23 minutes 33 seconds) on average, compared to the placebo control drink (24 minutes 3 seconds).
What can you tell me about the people?
There were 13 men and 5 women in this study, aged 20 on average. They had an average BMI value of 22.5, meaning they were in the normal range.
What else should I know?
Participants consumed 500 mL (16.9 fl oz) of energy drink or placebo control. The energy drink used here also contained sugar and taurine, both of which may also carry a performance benefit.
What will I do differently?
I have always been wary of energy drinks due to the potential health concerns (there are many) and I have never tried an energy drink in combination with exercise. A 30 second improvement on your 5 km running time is nothing to be sniffed at though, so I might try this as a one-off!
Acknowledgements
This research was published in November 2016 by PJ Prins and colleagues from Grove City College and the University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
This article highlights our personal take on their research. Check it out here and see what you think!
Abstract Athlete 