Energy Drink Ingredients That Help With Focus
The only ingredient in most energy drinks that actually helps with focus and concentration is caffeine.
However, there are many more ingredients that help with focus and concentration, like the ones below .
Here they are:
Exercise In The Morning
Just like hydration, it’s no surprise that exercise is good for you, but if you are one of those after-work exercisers, you might consider adjusting your schedule. A morning workout or stretch routine will give you a burst of energy that can last you into the early afternoon.
Wright suggests this routine: “Get right out of bed and get moving. Start slow with a gentle stretch of your major muscles. Do a forward fold to decompress your spine pull your heel up to your glutes to stretch your quads and give a big roll of the shoulders. Now slowly elevate your heart rate by moving your body in a way that you enjoy and that challenges you. Maybe a body-weight workout or swimming or cycling. Bonus points for exercising outside and connecting with nature.”
How Can I Tell If Caffeine Is Affecting My Sleep
Are you struggling with insomnia, headaches, or anxiety during the day? This could be a sign of caffeine overuse and dependence. Troubles during the night, like frequent awakenings, inability to fall asleep, and nighttime anxiety may also be a sign caffeine is interfering with your sleep . If you find yourself excessively sleepy during the day and caffeine isnt helping, it could be a sign you are sleep deprived from extended caffeine use. In that case, it may be time to put down the coffee and catch up on some much-needed rest.
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How Much Caffeine Is Too Much
As we mentioned a little earlier, up to 400 mg of caffeine a day appears to be considered safe for most adults. That is the amount of caffeine in roughly three to four cups of java, ten cans of cola, or two energy shot drinks.
Although there are many highly caffeinated energy drinks on the market, the truth is that its probably not a good idea to be consuming 300 mg of caffeine all in one sitting. Consuming too much of this popular stimulant can cause some pretty unpleasant side effects such as headache, insomnia, nervousness, irritability, muscle tremors, and heart palpitations – just to name a few.
Tea Provides An Energy Boost To Athletic Performance
The synergistic combination of catechins and caffeine in tea has been shown to provide a legit energy boost. Researchers say this duo speeds up the conversion of nutrients necessary for metabolism so you gain more energy.
Plus, research has shown that teas can enhance energization, hydration, endurance, concentration, and recovery for athletes. All these reasons prove why teas are great to consume before and after your workouts.
With all these clear advantages, now its time to dive into the best teas for energy.
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How Does Coffee Increase Energy Levels
Research examining the effects of caffeine on performance and alertness has repeatedly shown that caffeine increases energy levels, mental acuity, and decreases feelings of both mental and physical fatigue .
After consuming a cup of coffee, caffeine quickly makes its way through the bloodstream and into the brain where it rapidly blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine .
Adenosine is a neurotransmitter which is partly responsible for why we feel drowsy. When caffeine blocks adenosine, the body releases several neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine in response which increase alertness and energy . The rapid effect caffeine has on neurotransmitters is responsible for the increased memory, energy, reaction times and overall mental acuity experienced by those consuming caffeine .
Red Bull Energy Drink
- Caffeine content: 80mg
The iconic duo Bull logo that we see everywhere, Red Bull single-handedly created the energy drink category.
Known throughout the world, behind the adventures of every extreme sports event as the drink that Gives You Wiings.
Founded by an ambitious Austrian man whose goal was to save the people of the world from lacklustre energy levels by serving them caffeinated drinks that he found in Thailand.
Red Bull got off to a rocky start, and was even banned in France for 12 years before things really took off.
Red Bull is still my main go-to energy drink whenever Im working out or playing a friendly basketball match with friends.
Its definitely enough to meet all your energy needs.
Red Bull, a classic favorite.
If youre interested to know what the difference is between Red Bull and Monster, I recommend that you check out my other article where I cover everything you need to know about exactly how they differ.
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Monster Energy: 160 Mg Per Can
Monster is an energy beverage that was launched in 2002 and is pretty popular in the energy drink world. There is a huge selection of different flavors and varieties of Monster, from the original to the more unique ones like Juice Monster, Pipeline Punch, and even coffee-inspired flavors.
The different flavors sometimes have different levels of caffeine, but the original Monster boasts 160 mg per can serving while the other flavors can have anywhere from 115 to 187 mg.
How Much Caffeine Is Okay Each Day
How you react to caffeine depends on your body mass, health and metabolism. It also depends on whether your body is used to getting regular doses of caffeine and how much you have in one serving. Research suggests that 400mg per day or less is an acceptable dose of caffeine for the general population.
Approximate caffeine levels per serve include:
- chocolate drinks: 510mg per 250ml
- instant coffee: 80120mg per 250ml
- drip or percolated coffee: 150240mg per 250ml
- espresso coffees such as espresso or latte: 105110mg per 250ml
- black tea: 65105mg per 250ml
- cola drinks: 4049mg per 375ml
- Red Bull energy drink: 80mg per 250 ml
- energy drink: 160mg per 250ml
- dark chocolate bar: 40-50mg per 55g serve
- milk chocolate bar 10mg per 50g serve
- guarana: can contain up to 100mg per 1g of guarana
- caffeine tablets such as No-Doz 100mg per tablet.
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Ranking The Best Energy Drinks Of 2021
Feeling drained by your lunch break? Yeah, me too.
Before you go straight for the coffee, consider a more potent beverage, the energy drink. Theyre tasty, refreshing, full of caffeine, and are specifically designed to sustain high levels of productivity and performance, whether physical or mental.
Our researchers reviewed the best energy drinks on the market, plus dug in-depth on the research into how they work to keep you energized and focused throughout the day.
Research
Proper Wild is a powerful, plant-based energy shot that provides long-lasting energy and focus without the jitters or crash.
100% plant-based, no preservatives, no artificial sweeteners, no added sugars and only 25 calories Proper Wilds Clean All Day Energy Shots are backed by science, only use clean ingredients and really work.
Every shot contains 180 mg of organic caffeine from green tea leaves and 120 mg of L-Theanine. Thats 2x more caffeine than a cup of coffee and 15x more L-Theanine than a cup of Green Tea. Its this combination and correct ratio of Organic Caffeine and L-Theanine that provides focus and energy for hours with the jitters or crash.
They come in three flavors Peach Mango, Blackberry and Ginger, but you can also try their variety pack to see whats your favorite.
Bodynutritions overall energy drink category winner.
Reign Total Body Fuel: 300 Mg Per Can
Reign is relatively a newcomer to the world of energy drinks. However, this beverage is owned by the same company that produces Monster Energy, so its really no surprise that it’s gotten so popular – or that it has so much caffeine! A single 16 oz can of Reign has 300 mg of caffeine, but these drinks boast no sugar, making them a solid choice for those looking to consume that much caffeine at once.
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How Much Caffeine Is Actually Good For You
Caffeine tolerance differs from person to person. The way caffeine interacts with your body can be different from the way it interacts with someone else.
It depends a lot on your body size and physiological make-up.
The maximum daily dosage for caffeine is currently set at 400mg per day, which isnt much considering just one can of the No.1 energy drink on this list contains nearly that amount in a single can.
High doses can cause side effects such as caffeine addiction, high blood pressure, anxiety and can even be lethal.
So, its best to choose something with a more sensible amount of caffeine, like my personal favorite
Dark Chocolate Has More Caffeine Than Milk Chocolate
Another natural source of caffeine is the cacao bean, from which chocolate is made. Its fairly mild in comparison to others on this list a typical cacao bean has less than 20% of the caffeine in a single coffee bean.
As with other natural sources, however, the amount of caffeine will vary according to different factors. The variety of bean and the length of time for which its fermented will both have an effect.
The way that the beans are processed is another variable. Most of the caffeine in the cacao pod is in the shell and membrane surrounding the bean. If both of these are removed before the bean is processed, its likely that very little caffeine will remain.
As long as youre not sensitive to caffeine, you can probably live without knowing the precise amount in your chocolate bar. As a guide, the FDA states theres 43mg of caffeine in 100g of dark chocolate and 20mg in the same amount of milk chocolate.
Broadly speaking, the darker the chocolate, the more cocoa solids and hence the more caffeine it will contain. If you have a sweet tooth and want to avoid caffeine altogether, choose white chocolate. No cocoa solids are used to make it, just the fat of the cocoa bean, known as cocoa butter. That means the finished product will have only a trace of caffeine if any at all.
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The Ceo Way To Drinking Coffee For Energy
As the CEO of Lifehack, its vital that I always have abundant energy and focus. Every day is busy, with dozens of important decisions to be made. Theres never a time when I can afford to be low in motivation and low in creativity.
Thats why I have come to depend on the energy-boosting power of drinking coffee. It helps wake me up and keeps me alert throughout my working day.
So let me share with you now some of the best ways Ive discovered for consuming coffee for energy.
How To Choose The Best Coffee Beans
I recommend you go for Robusta coffee beans. On average, Robusta beans have twice as much caffeine content as Arabica beans. That means you can make and drink less coffee but still get the same energy boost. Sometimes less really is more!
When choosing coffee beans, the next thing to pay attention to is the roast date. You should make sure that your purchase is within one month of the roast date. That will ensure maximum freshness, and will also give you the best taste .
Talking of roast, depending on your taste preference, you can choose to go with light, medium or dark roast. Most people prefer light to medium roast, as these roasts have an appealing fruity but full-bodied flavor.
Interestingly, you might assume that dark roast has the most caffeine. However, the reality is that light roast has the most caffeine, followed by medium roast, followed by dark roast. This is good news if youre looking to drink coffee as a natural stimulant. By choosing light or medium roasts you can get the twin benefits of a great tasting coffee with a significant amount of caffeine.
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What Is Caffeine And How Much Is In Each Beverage
Lets start by understanding what caffeine is. Caffeine is a stimulant that causes our brains to become more alert. This is what results in the energy boost that you get after you drink a cup of coffee or your favorite energy drink.
While it is very helpful in giving you both the energy and focus you need for studying, too much caffeine can disrupt your sleep patterns and cause confusion. It is recommended that a healthy adult does not consume more than 400 mg of caffeine a day.
Celsius Heat Energy Drink
- Caffeine content: 300mg
Celsius energy drink is known as a fitness drink and for being thermogenic.
Yep, due to their MetaPlus blend, it actually helps to boost your metabolism and increase your bodys ability to torch fat .
This is definitely great news to those who are trying very hard to shed some pounds off their body and get that summer beach body.
I can definitely now see why its a favorite of people trying to shed a few pounds.
But wait, before believing this miracle of weight loss it might be worth reading a little more about the Celsius MetaPlus blend and some university studies that basically show that the benefits are due to the caffeine content, not anything else special inside the can.
You almost had me there for a moment Celsius.
Check out my Celsius review here.
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How Does Caffeine Affect The Body
Caffeine affects many parts of your body, including the central nervous system, muscles, heart, lungs and kidneys.
However, it is hard to say exactly how the body responds to it. Much of the medical research in this area has been into coffee, which contains caffeine but also many other ingredients.
We do know that caffeine is addictive, and many regular coffee drinkers become dependent on it.
How Does Caffeine Work
To understand caffeine, you first have to know what the neurotransmitter adenosine is.
Adenosine is what is called an inhibitory neurotransmitter. That means, it tends to make you tired and sleepy. At night it builds up and is one of the major signals telling your brain it is time to go to sleep.
To give you a better understanding of what I mean, I want you to picture a spectrum where on one end of the spectrum you have someone deep in sleep and on the other end you have someone on crack or someone who is hyperactive, who is wide awake bouncing off the walls and probably acting a little crazy.
We tend to spend our daytime hours, mostly in the middle of the spectrum.
Now, we have a bunch of neural chemicals in our brains that are in charge of regulating this balance and keeping us awake or asleep and controlling our level of energy, alertness, fatigue, etc. Adenosine is an important one of those. Again, adenosine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that pushes you towards the fatigued/sleepy end of the spectrum.
The key point you need to remember here is: more adenosine means less energy. If you have lots of adenosine in there, you are going to feel sleepy, fatigued etc.
Here is an illustration to help you visualize this.
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Foods That Can Give You More Energy
Many people feel tired or rundown at some point during the day. A lack of energy could affect your daily activities and make you less productive.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the type and quantity of food you eat play essential roles in determining your energy levels during the day.
Even though all foods give you energy, some foods contain nutrients that could help increase your energy levels and maintain your alertness and focus throughout the day.
Heres a list of 27 foods that have been proven to help promote energy levels.
How Much Caffeine Is Safe To Drink
Guidelines for caffeine consumption vary between different countries. The general consensus is that up to 400 mg of caffeine daily is a moderate and safe amount for adults, which is the equivalent to 2-4 regular cups of coffee per day .
It is also important to consider that different blends of coffee contain varying amounts of caffeine. In general, 2-4 regular cups of coffee will fall within the 200-400 mg range. Furthermore, certain life stages such as pregnancy increase the chances of adverse effects from caffeine, which is why the upper limit is set at 300 mg for pregnant women .
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Mountain Dew Kickstart: Black Cherry
Meanwhile, for people who would like to optimize their breakfast soda, theres Mountain Dew Kickstart. The 16 ounces only had 80 calories, which is like half of what a normal soda would have , so its like, not totally bad for you. This only has 92mg of caffeine, so its not quite as powerful as Id like, but itd be perfect for a pre-teen gamer.