Difference between energy drinks and sports drinks

In shopping mall’s eatery section or in big grocery shop or store one gets to see many canned drinks.

These canned drinks may contain juice, sherbet, colas, some aerated drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, etc.

Many times buyers get confused & don’t come to know what they should buy.

Youngsters & young adults prefer energy or sports drinks over juice, sherbet or colas as it gives them a high. These drinks are often associated with endurance, power & stamina. Many who are found of having hard drinks have it as they can’t consume alcohol all the time.

Some people who work at night & some students who want to remain awake to study also consume energy or sports drinks sometimes.

The main ingredients of energy drinks are caffeine, sugar (some are sugar free also), some energy enhancing ingredients like ephedrine, vitamins, some flavours, preservatives etc. They are generally non-alcoholic.

As energy drinks contain high quantity of caffeine it shouldn’t be consumed anytime or just for fun. Some people can’t tolerate caffeine. Caffeine also increases pulse rate, heartbeats. It causes sleep disturbances. Thus one must not consume it at night. Caffeine is diuretic i.e. it assists to remove fluids from one’s body. Caffeine dehydrates body thus it shouldn’t be consumed when one is thirsty or if the weather is hot or one is out in summer weather. It shouldn’t be consumed while or after exercise or workout also. Energy drinks may even cause stomach discomfort.

Although hard drinks & energy drinks both dehydrate one’s body & interfere with calcium absorption but some people mix hard drinks with energy drink & consume it. It shouldn’t be done as hard drinks are depressant whereas energy drinks are stimulants.

 Although energy drinks makes feel energetic but if one isn’t well & taking medicines then energy drinks shouldn’t be consumed.

Sports drinks also provide energy but are different from energy drinks. They are formulated to provide energy by replacing electrolytes & fluids lost through sweat. They hardly contain caffeine & stimulants. They contain vitamins, carbohydrates i.e. fructose, glucose, sucrose, minerals i.e. sodium, some preservatives; some may even contain calcium or potassium or both & some other important ingredients. Sports drinks are useful during & post exercise or workout.

One should test a sports drink before a real or important sports event as every person’s body is different & what works best for one may not work at all for other.

Also energy drinks or sports drink aren’t any alternative to food, fruits, milk & water. A healthy diet with proper litres of water should be consumed everyday.