It seems today that everyone is craving more energy – from morning coffee to a quick Red Bull® or Mountain Dew MDX® for an afternoon pick-me-up, energy-boosting products are abundant in today’s fast-paced culture.
But do these energy boosters work, or is it just the placebo effect? Is there a difference between caffeine and natural energy-boosting additives? There are so many product choices how can they be distinguished from one another?
The most common natural products used for energy supplements are vitamins B6 and B12 and ginseng. Along with these main additives, there are several other vitamins and minerals added to energy drinks like Mountain Dew MDX®, SoBe Adrenaline Rush© and Red Bull®. Looking at the nutrition label on any of these products gives a good idea of what the can contains.
When compared to a can of Coca-Cola Classic®, these energy drinks don’t look much different. According to University of Wisconsin Clinical Dietitian Liz Freitick, these energy boosters are “like soda, but with vitamins and minerals.”
The amount of sugar in a can of Coke® is 39 grams and the amount of sugar in a can of Red Bull® is 35 grams. The amount of caffeine in a can of Coke® is also almost identical to the amount in Red Bull®. SoBe© and Mountain Dew® products have labels comparable to that of Red Bull®. “Because it’s in a smaller can, it’s more concentrated,” Freitick said in an interview.
The more intense concentration of the nutrients in the drinks make their effects take place more quickly, giving the idea of an energy boost that probably won’t last too long.
It seems the positive medicinal effects of ginseng have been difficult to prove using modern science. According to University of Wisconsin clinical lecturer and registered dietitian Pete Anderson, a lot of additives are tried, but probably very few other than caffeine have any effect on energy.
Most of the drinks contain sugar, which will supply temporary energy – but very little and for a short amount of time. Usually companies that produce these drinks do make sugar-free versions of their products as well, which are better for calorie intake, but don’t provide any different or better nutritional value than the high calorie sugared drinks.
Studies have been conducted attempting to prove what ginseng really does for the body – if anything at all. Scientifically, the latter seems to be the case, but there are many people who swear by it.
At national health-food chain General Nutrition Center (GNC), there are several energy drinks available. At GNC the natural additives include B6 and B12, ginseng and panotothenic acid, which stimulates metabolism and circulation.
GNC offers drinks that have caffeine and sugar, just like soda, there are all-natural drinks that contain supplements like ginseng and there are other drinks that contain caffeine, sugar and natural supplements.
While there are many people who have great success using energy boosters like Red Bull® and the ones available at GNC, Frietick says, “There are no proven studies showing the magic of this stuff. This might be a placebo effect.”
The effects of products like these tend to vary from person to person To see what will work, individuals have to try it out and see. It’s a process of trial and error.
Maybe the vitamins and minerals are giving your body something extra, but Anderson noted in an interview that there is a better way to get natural energy without any of the supplements: “Pretty simple: get adequate, regular sleep, eat regular meals, and have a carbohydrate containing snack if you're hungry.”
Of course there are days when it’s impossible to get the adequate sleep and eat properly, and most nutritionists agree that the supplements found in energy drinks are not going to harm the body when used in moderation.
