Energy drinks make athletes more insomniac, nervous

A new study has revealed that energy drinks have negative effects of on the athletes by increasing the frequency of insomnia, nervousness and the level of stimulation in them.

The study from Camilo Jose Cela University (UCJC) showed that athletes increased their sporting performance by between 3 percent and 7 percent.

Co-author Juan Del Coso Garrigos said that the top footballers, climbers, swimmers and basketball, rugby, volleyball, tennis and hockey players, who took the equivalent of three cans of energy drink or an energy drink placebo before a sports competition, ran further in team competitions, specially at higher intensities, which is related to sports performance.

However, their consumption also produced an increase in the side effects typically found with other caffeinated drinks and also, the researchers found no significant differences between male and female athletes in the perception of positive sensations, nor in the apparition of side effects.

Garrigos added that caffeinated energy drinks are a commercial product that can significantly increase sporting performance in many sports activities and the increase in their consumption is probably driven by the hard advertising campaigns of energy drink companies related to sports sponsorships.

Energy drinks do not provide more energy than other soft drinks (40 kcal/100 ml of product), but they do have an "energizing" effect related to the stimulation provided by caffeine.

The study is published in the British Journal of Nutrition.