Best Energy Drinks For Basketball Players: Do They Work & Are They Safe?

Are Energy Drinks Safe And Effective For Basketball Players

Energy Drinks such as Red Bull, Monster Energy and others have increased in popularity among the basketball community over the past decade.

Many pro and amature basketball players choose to drink energy drinks prior to games and training in the hopes of gaining a mental and physical boost.

There has also been an increase in the consumption of bodybuilding pre-workouts that are even more potent versions of energy drinks, usually supplied in powder form.

These kinds of energy supplements activate your sympathetic nervous system. As a result you heart rate increases and blood flow ramps up.

Do Energy Drinks Improve Basketball Performance?

Interestingly a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning revealed that a common energy drinks have absolutely no effect on endurance or performance in athletes.

In fact this artificial stimulation of the nervous system can actually hinder your game.

The problem is that your heart rate should be dynamic and not remain in a heightened state all game long.

Basketball contains ebbs and flows of intense and relaxed moments.

You don’t want your heart rate racing when taking clutch free-throws in over time.

Energy drinks have also been known to increase the frequency of anxiety and insomnia in the hours following the competition.

This can be catastrophic for basketball players who need to get up early and train the next day.

This is one of the main reasons why many NBA players choose not to drink energy drinks prior to games.

There are more natural ways to gain energy and improve on court performance. You can learn all about this in our Ultimate Guide To Basketball Nutrition.

What About Caffeine For Basketball?

There are many benefits of consuming caffeine for basketball players.

Caffeine is one of the main ingredients in energy drinks.

However, most of these energy drinks also contain massive amounts of sugars which can cause rapid changes in insulin response within the body.

This may leave you feeling highly energetic one minute and then crashing the next. Perhaps most concerning from a health perspective are the artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservative added to these drinks. Some even contain dangerous herb blends that can cause serious health complications, and even death in certain people.

A Natural Alternative To Energy Drinks For Basketball Players