Energy drinks are good sources of instant energy. If you have a meeting or a game upcoming, a good energy drink will surely increase your endurance and alertness.
However, energy drinks doesn’t start working immediately. After drinking, it takes approximately 10 minutes to get into your bloodstream.
But, the job isn’t done yet; the main source of energy, caffeine needs almost 20 to 60 minutes to kick in with the extra energy.
To know more about caffeine, energy drinks, and when to drink to get maximum output, stay along with the discussion.
Let’s get started…
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Why Should You Drink Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks give you an extra punch of energy whenever you feel low. The core ingredients of an energy drink allow your brain to increase alertness and helps you focus better.
Hundreds of companies are producing energy drinks and distributing them all around the globe. The ingredients might be different from others, but the sole purpose of energizing people is still the same.
How Do You Get Energy From Energy Drinks?
To find the real source of energy in energy drinks, we will have to look into the basic ingredients. Pretty much the same, all the energy drinks have the same core ingredients; carbonized water, flavors, coloring, sweetening agent, and most importantly, caffeine.
Caffeine is the prime source of energy. Caffeine works as a neural receptor that prevents you from getting tired. For that reason, when you drink energy drinks, the infused caffeine alerts your brain.
Other ingredients like vitamins, amino acids, natural extracts, and many more can be found in energy drinks. These also might help to increase the energy. However, caffeine is still considered to be the prime source.
How Long Do Energy Drinks Last?
Energy drinks take up to 10 mins to get into your bloodstream.
Energy drinks have certain limits in terms of their effectiveness. It takes up to 10 mins to get into your bloodstream.
The caffeine that’s infused into your drink takes 20 to 60 minutes to dissolve completely. It also depends on the amount of caffeine you had.
The effects reach the prime state after 30 to 45 minutes depending on multiple variables. These variables are caffeine percentage, food intake, age and gender, metabolism, and many more. Caffeine has a half-life of 5 hours.
So, it’s ideal that an energy drink would last up to 5 or 6 hours. After that, the effects will start to bear off gradually.
How long will an energy drink keep you awake?
The duration an energy drink keeps you awake can vary based on factors such as the brand, caffeine content, your tolerance to caffeine, and your overall sensitivity to stimulants. On average, the effects of an energy drink’s caffeine content can last for about 3 to 6 hours after consumption.
It’s important to note that while an energy drink can provide a temporary boost in alertness and wakefulness, the effects are not long-lasting. After the initial surge of energy wears off, you might experience a “crash” where you feel more fatigued than before.
Why doesn’t my body respond to energy drinks?
There can be several reasons why some individuals may not feel a significant response to energy drinks. One primary factor could be individual variations in caffeine metabolism and sensitivity. People have different levels of tolerance to caffeine, leading to a diminished stimulant effect.
Additionally, energy drink responses can be influenced by factors such as overall health, sleep patterns, hydration, and other substances consumed alongside the energy drink. If you frequently consume high amounts of caffeine or have developed a tolerance over time, the effects of an energy drink might be less pronounced.
How Does Caffeine Work In Your Body?
To understand the effects of Caffeine on the human body, we need to first know how the human brain works.
As we work all day, our body generates ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). One of the breakdown elements of ATP is Adenosine. Adenosine is generated in neural cells of the brain.
Our nervous system has Adenosine Receptors. Two types of Adenosine can be found in brain cells. A1A type Adenosine keeps you awake while A2A is responsible for sleepiness. As you continue to work throughout the day, A2A starts to increase.
This A2A Adenosine stimulates the receptors, causing your brain to slowly shut down to prevent overwork. Then you start feeling tired and get to sleep.
When caffeine enters your bloodstream and reaches your brain, it blocks the receptors and prevents the Adenosine to stimulate the receptors. Thus, you don’t feel any sort of tiredness or sleepiness. This helps you to focus, even more, makes you feel refreshed.
Watch this video to learn more about caffeine and how it works on the human brain.
When Should You Drink Energy Drinks?
Whenever you need an extra amount of energy, you can take a drink.
However, you should keep an eye on your consumption. Drink an energy drink at least 30 to 45 minutes before you begin working to feel its full effects.
Also, you need to time the half-life of the caffeine. As caffeine needs at least 5 to 6 hours to be flushed out of your system.
You should drink caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime. Otherwise, it’ll disrupt your sleeping patterns.
Is Caffeine Bad For You?
Caffeine is safe as long as you’re taking it within the allowed limit. According to the FDA, an adult is allowed to have 400mg of caffeine in a day. So as long as you’re within the limits, caffeine is safe.
On top of that, caffeine is good for your health. It helps you to increase your endurance. It also helps you to focus better and prevents you from getting tired.
However, frequent or regular intake of caffeine can be harmful as well. Even if you’re taking caffeine within the limit constantly, it creates a tolerance. Caffeine tolerance can affect your reaction to caffeine.
Side Effects Of Caffeine
There are many side effects of caffeine. Caffeine overconsumption is perhaps a common problem.
Excessive caffeine can cause multiple health issues like:
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Anxiety
- Addiction for More Caffeine
How Many Energy Drinks Can You Drink In One Day?
According to health guidelines, an average adult can drink up to 400mg of caffeine per day. So taking that into consideration, you can definitely drink one can of energy drink a day.
However, drinking energy drinks can also increase the risk of caffeine overconsumption. The reason behind this is our food. We consume food that may have trace amounts of caffeine.
So, even if you’re drinking an energy drink with 80mg of caffeine or 300mg of caffeine, a couple of cups of coffee can raise the overall intake.
When Does Red Bull Energy Drink Kick In?
Each can of Red Bull Energy drink contains 80 mg of caffeine. This much caffeine will take some time to take effect.
Caffeine, takes 20 to 40 minutes to enter your bloodstream. As a result, drink at least 30 minutes before.
Keep in mind that drinking more doesn’t guarantee that it’ll begin working sooner. Caffeine overdose can be harmful to one’s health.
When Does Monster Energy Drink Kick In?
Monster Energy Drink contains 160mg of caffeine as well as other ingredients in a can. This will also take at least 30 minutes to take effect.
Drinking Monster Energy Drink before going to bed is not a good idea. Your sleep will be disrupted by the caffeine infusion.
When Does Aspire Energy Drink Kick In?
The caffeine content of Aspire Energy Drink is 80mg. This will take nearly the same amount of time to take effect. Aspire Energy Drinks are available in a variety of exciting flavors.
When Does Rockstar Energy Drink Kick In?
Rockstar Energy Drink is a prominent brand in the market. One can of Rockstar Energy Drink contains 160mg of caffeine.
This energy drink has a higher caffeine content than many other brands. To have the maximum kick, you’ll have to drink Rockstar Energy Drink at least 20 to 40 minutes before.
When Does 5 Hour Energy Drink Kick In?
Caffeine has a half-life of 5 to 6 hours. After this time, the effectiveness begins to wane.
5 Hour Energy Drink contains more caffeine than usual. This contains around 200mg per drink.
You must, however, drink at least 30 minutes before your desired time. A 5 Hour Energy drink can give you an extra boost of energy during workouts, night shifts, and other activities.
Why Do We Crash After Drinking An Energy Drink?
The term ‘crashing’ refers to sudden exhaustion you feel after a certain period of time, especially after taking an energy drink.
As the half-life of caffeine exceeds, you start feeling tired again. Then, the added sugar in your energy drink causes you to crash. So, it’s better to have sugar-free options rather than traditional ones.
Are Sugar-Free Energy Drinks Good?
Sugar-Free Energy Drinks are as efficient as the added sugar ones. Artificial sweeteners allow the drink to have the same sweet taste.
Furthermore, added sugar can exceed the limit of regular sugar intake. An adult male can consume up to 36 grams of sugar per day, while a female can consume up to 26 grams.
Energy Drinks: Sugar-Free And Added Sugar
Here is a list of popular sugared and Sugar-Free Energy Drinks:
| Sugared Energy Drinks | Sugar-Free Energy Drinks |
| Red Bull | Bang |
| Rockstar | Monster Zero Ultra |
| NOS | Rockstar Sugar-Free |
| Monster | Adrenaline Shoc |
| Hype | Reign |
Verdict
Energy drinks, are a great source of energy. Caffeine, the main ingredient, can be beneficial if consumed in moderation.
To eliminate the effects of caffeine, you need to stay hydrated. To do that, drink a lot of fluids, especially water.
When you feel like you had more caffeine than needed, take deep breaths, keep yourself hydrated, take a quick run or exercise. This will help you to restore your stable state.